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MINORCAS  OF 
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ORGE     H„     NORTHUP, 

RAOEVILLE,      N.     Y. 


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GEORGE  H.  NORTHUP. 


<>««>£<>$<>«<>^<>*<>*<>«;>«<>*K>«^©«<>*<>*<>*<>«<>«<>»<>*^ 


Minorcas  of  Every  Comb  and  Color 


By  GEORGE  H.  NORTHUP, 

Secretary-Treasurer  of  American  Black  Minorca  Club. 
Secretary-Treasurer  of  Inter-National  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  Club. 


RACEVILLE,  NEW  YORK, 
1907. 


Copyrighted,    1907,   By  GEORGE  H.  NORTHUP. 


PRESS  OF 
THE  POULTNEY  JOURNAL 

POULTNEY,  VT. 


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INDEX 

History  of  Minorcas 7 

Hardiness  of  Black   Minorcas 12 

Description  of  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas 17 

The  Minorca  as  a  General  Purpose  Fowl 21 

Origin  of  Rose.  Comb  Black   Minorcas ,  29 

Progress  of  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 33 

The  Comparative  Value  of  Rose  and  Single  Comb  Minorcas.  .  40 

How  to  Select  and  Make  Minorcas 42 

The  Time  of  Year  to  Hatch  Minorcas 48 

Hatching  and  Rearing  Minorca  Chicks 49 

Influence  of  Color-Breeding  on  Color  of  Eggs 53 

Color  and  Development  of  Color  in  Black  Minorcas 56 

Fitting  Minorcas  for  the  Show  Room 62 

History  of  Single  Comb  White  Minorcas 65 

Single  Comb  White  Minorcas 67 

Rose  Comb  White  Minorcas 68 

Rose  Comb  White  Minorcas,  by  G.  A.  Clark 69 

Buff  Minorcas,  Mottled  Minorcas  and   Barred   Minorcas 73 


Preface. 

My  first  book  on  Minorcas  was  received  with  much  favor 
by  admirers  of  this  noble  breed  of  fowls,  many  compli- 
mentary things  were  said  of  it  by  the  press  and  I  am  sure 
the  facts  it  contains  in  regard  to  the  Minorca  fowl  have 
been  the  means  of  bringing  the  excellent  qualities  of  that 
breed  to  the  favorable  notice  of  many  people  who,  without 
such  a  book,  would  not  have  given  special  attention  to 
Minorcas.  For  these  reasons  I  have  felt  well  paid  for  the 
work  of  writing  that  book.  Since  then,  nine  years  have 
elapsed,  wonderful  progress  has  been  made  in  Minorca  in- 
terests and  recently  many  requests  have  come  to  me  from 
Minorca  fanciers  for  another  book  which  should  go  further 
into  details  and  follow  the  subject  of  Minorcas  down  to  the 
present  time.  Such  a  book  I  have  endeavored  to  make 
"  Minorcas  of  Every  Comb  and  Color."  I  hope  it  will  be 
all  that  experienced  breeders  anticipate  and  desire,  a  help 
over  difficulties  to  those  admirers  of  Minorcas  whose  exper- 
ience with  them  is  limited,  and  a  means  of  presenting  Min- 
orcas in  their  true  light  to  people  who  desire  a  thoroughly 
practical  breed  of  poultry  from  which  the  greatest  possible 
profit  can  be  derived. 

Mam>-  thanks  are  due  to  members  of  the  American  Black 
Minorca  club  and  the  Inter-national  Rose  Comb  Black  Min- 
orca Club  for  their  untiring  efforts  to  breed  the  best  type 
of  these  two  varieties  and  to  the  clubs,  as  organizations,  for 
their  part  in  distributing  to  the  public  such  knowledge  of 
Minorcas  as  their  members  have  gained  from  practical  ex- 
perience, and  interchange  of  ideas  as  to  the  best  methods 

35853 


6  MlttORCAS  OF 

of  breeding.  I  recommend  all  who  are  interested  in  Min- 
orcas  and  wish  to  keep  abreast  of  the  times  in  all  that  per- 
tains to  the  Single  or  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  to  be- 
come members  of  one  or  both  clubs  and  take  an  active  part 
in  the  work. 

If  I  seem  to  have  given  the  Minorca  fowl  too  much  praise 
in  the  varous  articles  which  make  up  this  book,  let  it  be 
remembered  that  all  has  been  written  under  the  inspiring 
influence  and  in  the  presence  of  many  proud  representa- 
tives of  the  Minorca  breed,  to  whom  and  their  ancestors  I 
owe  much  for  the  help  they  have  given  me  in  gaining  own- 
ership of  my  home  and  the  small  city  of  Minorca  buildings 
which  surround  it  as  well  as  many  other  comforts  of  life 
which  I  enjoy. 


Pen  of  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas.  First  Prize  at  Madison  Square  Gar- 
den, 1907.  First  Prize  at  Boston,  1907.  Compliments  of  Frank  McGrann, 
President  American  Black  Minorca  Club. 


HISTORY  OF  MINORCAS. 

The  earliest  Minorcas  of  which,  anything  is  known 
were  the  Single  Comb  Blacks.  In  writing  their  early 
history  it  is  necessary  to  cnll  such  facts  as  have  the 
strongest  evidence  of  authenticity,  from  much  which 
has  been  reported  about  them. 

There  are  indisputable  records  of  Single  Comb  Black 
Minorcas  being  bred  in  England  more  than  seventy 
years  ago.  These  same  records  show  conclusively  that 
the  general  characteristics  and  appearance  of  Black 
Minorcas  of  that  time  were  essentially  the  same  as  we 
find  them  in  our  average  specimens  of  the  present  day. 
As  long  ago  as  we  find  anything  reported  of  Minorcas 
their  excellent  laying  qualities  have  been  the  remarkable 
feature  which  commended  them  to  poultry  men  and 
fanciers  wherever  they  were  bred. 

' '  They  lay  more  and  larger  eggs  than  any  other  breed 
of  fowls  known,"  has  been  so  often  said  of  them  that 
their  very  name,  Minorca,  has  become  a  synonym  of 
wonderful  egg  production  in  every  clime  where  Minorcas 
have  been  bred  in  their  purity.  A  peculiar  feature  of 
the  Minorca  breed  and  one  in  which  it  is  conspicuously 
unique,  in  contrast  with  most  all  other  standard  breeds, 
is  the  fact  that  the  original  type  has  been  preserved  so 
perfectly  that  our  best  Minorcas  now,  those  which  are 
in  greatest  favor  with  Minorca  fanciers,  answer  closely 
to  the  earliest  descriptions  of  Minorcas  which  we  can 
find  recorded.  The  cause  of  this  wonderful  tenacity  of 
type  is  attributed  to  the  strong  native  qualities  and 
tendencies  which  have  always  characterized  Minorcas  as 
a  distinct  breed.  Besides,  the  great  objects  people  have 
had  in  mind  when  breeding  Minorcas,  have  been  their 
hardiness  and  usefulness,  two  qualities  which  the  breed 
has  so  well  maintained  as  to  keep  it  always  in  favor 
with  a  practical  and  thrifty  class  of  breeders  who  had 
no  admiration  for  the  freaks  and  eccentricities  in  na- 


8  MINORCAS  OF 

ture  except  as  curios,  but  who  could  and  did  appreciate 
the  strong,  well-formed  and  characteristic  specimens  of 
bird  and  animal  life  as  the  best  handiwork  of  a  wise 
Creator. 

The  name  ' '  Minorca  ' '  could  not  have  been  derived 
from  any  characteristic  of  the  fowls  to  which  it  was 
given,  because  they  are  naturally  a  large  sized  fowl.  It 
is  a  remarkable  feature  of  them,  as  prominent  as  the 
great  number  and  large  size  of  their  eggs,  that  they  have 
much  larger  bodies  than  any  other  non-sitting  breed  of 
fowls.  Therefore  it  is  very  probable  that  the  tradition 
that  they  were  natives  of  the  Island  of  Minorca  is  cor- 
rect, and  that  the  name  was  given  them  because  they 
were  brought  directly  from  that  island  to  England.  The 
Island  of  Minorca  is  the  second  largest  of  the  Balearic 
group  and  is  situated  about  125  miles  from  the  mouth 
of  the  Ebro,  a  river  of  Spain.  The  earliest  date  of  im- 
portation of  Minorcas  to  England  which  can  be  abso- 
lutely proven  is  1834,  but  it  is  believed  that  Minorcas 
had  been  brought  to  England  before  that  date,  and  that 
they  came  direct  from  the  Island  of  Minorca. 

Mr.  Lewis  Wright  says  in  the  Illustrated  Book  of 
Poultry:  "  There  is  more  evidence  than  usual  for  the 
source  of  this  breed  being  truly  represented  by  its  name. 
Mr.  Leworthy  told  us  that  Mr.  Willis,  a  friend  of  his, 
had  seen  them  in  Minorca,  and  the  Rev.  Thomas  Cox, 
of  Castle  Cary,  informs  us  on  the  direct  authority  of 
Sir  Thomas  Ackland  that  his  father,  the  former  Baro- 
net, undoubtedly  brought  some  from  that  island  direct 
to  England  in  1834  or  1835,  and  kept  them  for  years 
at  Holnicote.  It  is  doubtful  if  the  fowl  was  not  already 
known  in  the  west  of  England,  but  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  one  strain  did  diverge  from  this  ascertained 
importation,  and  the  breed  was  for  years  known  and 
prized  in  Devon,  Cornwall  and  Somerset,  before  known 
elsewhere." 

We  have  it  from  good  authority  that  Minorcas  were 
the  progenitors  of  the  White  Faced  Black  Spanish.  The 
greatest  difference  between  the  two  breeds  is  that  in 
breeding  the  Spanish  for  the  white  face  they  have  been 
in-bred  so  much  as  to  establish  a  weaker  constitution, 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  9 

lower  vitality  and  smaller  size.  This  demonstrates  the 
advantage  of  keeping  a  good  breed  always  at  its  natural 
best. 

Minorcas  were  bred  many  years  in  the  Southwestern 
part  of  England  for  purely  practical  purposes  before  any 
attention -was  given  them  as  a  specially  fancy  fowl,  and 
a  separate  class  for  them  in  the  show-room  was  a  very 
unusual  occurrence  until  a  few  years  before  they  were 
first  imported  to  America.  But  when  once  admitted  to 
the  show-room  as  a  fancy  breed  they  rapidly  grew  in  fa- 
vor with  the  English  Fancier  and  have  for  about  30 
years  been  among  the  chief  •  attractions  of  English 
poultry  shows. 

It  was  from  England  that  the  first  Minorcas  were 
brought  to  America.  I  quote  a  letter  from  Mr.  Henry 
Hales  in  which  he  writes  of  some  Minorcas  which  were 
probably  the  first  ever  brought  to  America.  The  same 
letter  was  recently  published  in  the  catalogue  of  the 
American  Black  Minorca  Club  and  is  as  follows: 

11  In  the  early  seventies  I  heard  of  some  Black  Minor- 
cas on  Staten  Island,  N.  Y.  I  went  there  and  found  a 
lawyer  named  Carey  at  New  Brighton,  who  had  some 
beautiful  birds  he  had  imported  and  I  procured  some 
from  him.  These  birds  were  of  very  large  size,  long 
square  bodies  of  very  beautiful  plumage,  and  the  hens' 
combs,  as  well  as  the  cocks',  were  very  large,  but  most 
prominent  was  the  green  sheen  of  the  whole  plumage. 
I  have  kept  an  eye  on  Black  Minorcas  ever  since,  and  I 
cannot  see  any  improvement  of  the  original  stock,  either 
in  combs,  size  or  plumage,  especially  of  the  fine  green 
sheen  which  I  think  at  the  present  day  is  only  equalled 
in  a  few  choice  strains  of  this  breed.  In  looking  over 
the  Black  Minorcas  from  year  to  year,  including  New 
York  and  Boston  show  exhibits  this  season,  I  do  not  see 
that  the  largest  are  any  larger  than  those  I  kept  in  the 
early  seventies.  The  combs  are  not  as  large,  especially 
the  females.  The  type  of  the  best  birds  is  about  the 
same,  though  the  legs  may  be  a  trifle  longer." 

Henry  Hales  is  a  naturalist  of  considerable  ability  and 
reputation  and  one  of  our  most  skillful  breeders!  He 
was  exhibiting  Black  Spanish  in  1858  and  1859  and  is 


io  MWORCAS  OF 

today  one  of  our  best  Dorking  breeders.  The  Minorcas 
which  he  speaks  of  seeing  at  New  Brighton  in  the  "  early 
seventies  "  were  undoubtedly  allowed  to  lose  their  iden- 
tity in  a  short  time  by  intermixture  with  other  breeds 
because  we  have  no  further  account  of  them;  and  when 
Mrs.  Cynthia  Sargent,  Francis  Morimer,  J.  D.  Nevius 
and  myself  began  importing  Black  Minorcas  in  1885  and 
1886  they  were  considered  an  entirely  new  breed  in  this 
country  and  were  so  reported  by  the  poultry  press  and 
poultrymen  in  general. 

In  America,  Minorcas  never  had  a  boom,  but  the  repu- 
tation which  their  good  qualities  had  established  for 
them  in  England  was  quickly  reported  here,  and  Ameri- 
can breeders  were  prepared  to  welcome  them  on  account 
of  their  reputed  worth.  So  Minorcas  were  hardly  estab- 
lished here  before  it  was  seen  that  more  eggs  than  the 
first  importations  could  produce  were  wanted  for  imme- 
diate hatching  and  each  year  found  too  few  Minorcas 
to  supply  the  growing  demand.  This  situation  was  a 
temptation  to  a  few  unscrupulous  breeders  to  "  pad  ' 
their  Black  Minorca  breeding  pens  with  Black  Leghorns 
to  enable  them  to  produce  a  larger  number  of  eggs  which 
people  would  buy,  believing  them  to  be  the  produce  of 
pure  Minorcas.  It  was  currently  reported  that  one  man 
who  advertised  extensively  as  an  importer  of  Black 
Minorcas,  bought  fifty  Black  Leghorn  hens,  yarded  them 
with  his  Black  Minorcas  and  sold  eggs,  for  hatching, 
from  the  whole  lot  together  as  Black  Minorca  eggs. 
This  deception  could  not  be  detected  so  easily  then  as 
the  same  could  now,  because  until  after  the  Standard 
was  revised  in  1889,  "  black  or  nearly  black  "  legs  were 
required  for  Black  Leghorns  and  legs  of  any  other  color 
disqualified  them.  After  the  change  in  the  Standard 
made  yellow,  or  yellowish  black,  the  correct  color  for 
the  legs  of  Black  Leghorns  there  was  another  influx  to 
the  Minorca  ranks  because  the  new  situation  afforde  I 
a  new  tenrptation  to  the  same  unscrupulous  class  to  palm 
off  as  many  black  legged  Black  Leghorns  for  Black 
Minorcas  as  unsuspecting  people  would  buy.  This  dast- 
ardly work,  so  quietly  and  quickly  done,  produced  evil 
results,  which   required  much  time  to  correct,  because 


EVERY  CO  MB  AND  COLOR  it 

many  people,  who  were  deceived  into  buying  cross-bred 
or  falsely  named  fowls,  thought  them  to  be  genuine 
Minorcas  and  treated  them  as  such,  breeding  them  and 
selling  them  as  true  Minorcas.  Thus  a  strong  Leghorn 
tendency  was  seen  in  many  fowls  which  were  called 
Minorcas,  and  while  most  breeders  now  recognize  the 
true  Minorca  type,  there  are  still  some  who  suppose  it 
to  be  a  new  type  and  think  that  the  earlier  Minorca 
was  represented  by  the  cross-bred  specimens  which  I 
have  described.  But  absolutely  pure  Minorcas  of  the 
best  type  were  kept  and  bred,  from  the  start,  by  some 
of  the  more  sagacious  and  honest  American  breeders 
who  appreciated  the  excellence  of  the  breed  and  knew 
that  if  carefully  preserved  it  would  eventually  win  the 
distinction  and  popularity  which  we  are  realizing  in  the 
Black  Minorcas  of  the  present  day.  Thus  unlimited  ef- 
fort has  been  made  to  preserve  the  native  excellence 
of  Minorcas,  and  those  who  made  the  effort  deserve  much 
credit.  Such  breeders,  together  with  those  who  have 
appreciated  and  encouraged  their  work,  are  being  re- 
paid by  greater  success  than  anyone  could  have  antici- 
pated from  the  beginning;  because  from  year  to  year 
Minorcas  have  steadily  gained  in  favor,  until  today 
they  are  more"  popular  with  American  poultrymen  than 
they  have  been  at  any  time  since  they  first  entered  our 
ports. 

Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  Black  Minorcas  have 
been  very  extensively  bred  throughout  the  United  States 
and  Canada  for  nearly  twenty  years,  the  demand  for 
them  has  increased  more  rapidly  than  the  supply,  and 
the  present  indications  are  that  it  will  be  many  years 
before  Minorca  fanciers  can  keep  enough  Minorca  fowls 
to  be  able  to  make  prompt  shipments  of  fowls  and  eggs 
at  all  times.  There  is  room  for  thousands  more  breeders 
to  take  up  Minorcas  and  give  them  their  whole  atten- 
tion and  best  skill  before  the  supply  will  be  plentiful 
for  all  who  desire  them.  Long  before  the  present  breed- 
ing season  commenced  it  was  impossible  to  find  a  Min- 
orca fowl  for  sale,  every  available  Black  Minorca  hen  I 
know  of  has  'been  called  into  service  to  supply  eggs  for 


i2  MiNOKCAS  oP 

hatching  and  thousands  more  Black  Minorca  eggs  would 
have  been  set  if  they  could  have  been  produced. 

Minorcas  have  gained  importance  in  the  show-room 
in  the  same  proportion  as  they  have  in  other  depart- 
ments of  usefulness  and  are  among  the  most  favored 
breeds  of  fowls  from  the  fancier's  standpoint  as  well 
as  for  eggs  and  market  purposes. 


HARDINESS  OF  BLACK  MINORCAS. 

Next  to  profitable  productive  ability  there  is  nothing 
so  important  in  the  domestic  fowl  or  animal  as  natural 
hardiness,  and  the  Black  Minorca  is  physically  strong 
and  hardy.  Its  native  strength  has  not  been  sacrificed 
for  the  sake  of  breeding  for  unnatural  peculiarities,  as 
has  been  the  case  with  many  varieties  of  fowls,  but 
being  bred  always  to  preserve,  and  if  possible,  improve 
its  natural  vigor  and  productiveness,  it  is  one  of  the 
hardiest  in  the  whole  list  of  standard  fowls.  This  can 
easily  be  demonstrated  by  anyone  who  will  undertake 
to  raise  a  flock  of  Black  Minorca  chickens.  If  given  just 
ordinary  care,  clean  quarters  and  protection  from  birds 
and  animals  of  prey,  they  thrive  from  the  start  and 
make  strong,  vigorous  fowls.  In  the  whole  twenty-one 
years  that  I  have  bred  Black  Minorca  chicks  I  have 
never  seen  one  of  them  afflicted  with  gaps. 

There  is  some  prejudice  against  black  plumage  for 
domestic  fowls,  but  the  reasons  given  for  objecting  to 
black  fowls  are  of  no  importance  and  we  have  good  au- 
thority  for  saying  that  abundance  of  color  pigment,  in 
animal  physique,  indicates  a  proportional  amount  of  vi- 


EVERY  COMB    A  IV D  COLOR  13 

tality  and  vigor,  and  the  black  pigment  indicates  a 
stronger  nature  than  any  lighter  color. 

One  English  naturalist,  speaking  of  the  different  va- 
rieties of  Leghorns  and  the  importance  of  color  breed- 
ing, says  by  way  of  illustration  that  the  blacks  are  the 
most  economical,  are  very  wild  and  very  hardy;  be- 
cause very  near  to  the  natural  color.  Another  speaks 
of  the  black  leopard  and  the  black  rabbit  as  examples 
of  exceptional  abundance  of  vigor,  in  which  the  visible 
result  is  the  excess  of  pigment.  He  thinks,  too,  that 
vigor  and  hardiness  are  accompaniments  of  yellow  pig- 
ment, but  perhaps  not  so  jjwich  so  as  of  the  black.  He 
says:  "  We  are  accustonBh  to  think  that  abundance 
of  coloring  matter  indicates  vigor,  richness  of  blood,  and 
for  some  years  we  have  maintained  that  the  presence  of 
black  pigment  communicated  to  the  flesh  of  fowls  a 
special  savor;  and  we  have  been  equally  accustomed  to 
think  that  the  absence  of  coloring  matter  indicates 
weakness,  poverty  of  blood,  anaemia,  etc.,  etc." 

In  this  connection  I  think  it  not  out  of  place  to  reprint 
an  article  on  this  subject  which  was  written  at  my  re- 
quest for  the  American  Black  Minorca  Club's  catalogue 
by  Judge  L.  C.  Hoi  den  as  follows: 

Two  years  ago  I  furnished,  by  request,  a  letter  on 
"  Minorcas  in  the  Far  North."  That  favor  was  asked 
of  me  because  I  live  farther  North  than  any  other  mem- 
ber of  the  American  Black  Minorca  Club — my  resi- 
dence being  at  Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Michigan,  at  the  outlet 
of  Lake  Superior.  By  that  letter  I  tried  to  satisfy  its 
readers  that  the  Black  Minorca  thrives  as  well  here  as 
in  the  more  southern  latitudes.  The  "  cold  facts  "  of 
the  situation  had  long  before  satisfied  me  that  no  breed 
will  thrive  here  better  than  our  own  black  beauties.  I 
am  now  asked  to  contribute  a  letter  on  the  "  Hardiness 
of  Black  Minorcas,"  but  I  would  hesitate  to  "  tell  the 
whole  truth,"  but  for  the  fact  that  I  am  fortified  by 
eye  witnesses,  and  a  part  of  this  history  has  already 
been  preserved  by  the  photographer's  art.  In  the  first 
place  I  do  not  class  myself  as  a  skilled  fancier,  but  as 
a  breeder  for  practical  purposes — results — though  I  must 
admit  that  at  the  County  Fairs  and  the  Winter  shows 


i4  MINORCAS  OF 

hereabouts  my  Black  Minorcas  have  never  failed  to  win 
first,  second  and  third  prizes  for  singles,  pairs  and  pens; 
and  now  to  freshen  the  blood,  our  best  breeding  pen 
has  in  it  the  first  prize  cockerel  at  the  Michigan  State 
Fair  of  1904 — purchased  after  his  winning  the  blue, 
from  Jacob  Beauman,  who  bred  him,  and  at  our  recent 
winter  show  he  outclassed  any  I  had  raised  by  1% 
points,  according  to  the  markings  of  Judge  Frank  W. 
Traviss,  and  I  think  he  is  as  hardy  as  those-  of  our  own 
raising. 

But  now  to  the  story  of  actual  hardiness.  About  three 
years  ago  I  entered  my  coop  one  morning  and  found 
one  of  my  best  Black  Minorca  pullets  apparently  suffer- 
ing from  some  strange  malady.  She  stood  bracing  and 
her  head  was  on  the  ground  with  the  underside  of  the 
beak  uppermost.  She  was  at  once  isolated  without  ex- 
amination. She  continued  in  this  condition  for  two  days, 
when,  having  more  time,  I  carefully  examined  her  and 
found  her  neck  had  been  broken  near  the  body,  a  sec- 
tion of  the  neck  bone  having  slipped  by  so  that  the  dis- 
jointed condition  could  be  plainly  felt.  She  was  exam- 
ined by  neighbors  and  then  I  pulled  and  pressed  the 
neck  bone  into  place.  In  other  words  I  reduced  the  frac- 
ture, or  set  her  neck.  For  a  few  hours  after  my  surgical 
operation  she  was  much  weaker  than  before  and  could 
not  stand,  but  the  following  day  she  could  walk  around 
and  carry  her  head  riarht  side  up  and  on  a  level  with 
her  back.  In  two  or  three  more  days  I  could  not  tell 
her  from  my  others  and  have  never  known  since  then 
which  she  is,  but  I  do  know  that  she  still  lives  and  con- 
tinues to  lay  the  great  white  eggs  and  lots  of  them.  I 
do  not  kill  off  my  Minorcas  until  they  are  quite  old,  for 
they  continue  to  lay  all  right  until  they  are  several 
years  old  (much  older,  I  think,  than  most  other  breeds) 
and  then  are  still  prime  for  the  table.  Notwithstanding 
I  keep  them  to  a  good  old  age,  yet  I  have  never  in  all 
the  years  I  have  kept  them  had  but  two  Black  Minorcas 
die  a  natural  death,  though  in  the  meantime  I  have  had 
plenty  of  other  breeds  sicken  and  die  on  exactly  the  same 
keep — all  running  together,  except  at  breeding  time. 
Some  fancier  of  other  breeds  may  ask  why  I  keep  any 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


15 


other  breeds  if  Minorcas  are  so  much  better.  I  answer, 
' '  I  keep  the  others  to  do  the  setting,  as  my  Minorcas 
will  not  set  and  I  do  not  use  an  incubator." 

November  12th,  1904,  Herbert  V.  Hughes,  proprietor 

of  the  Belvidere  Hotel 
in  this  city,  killed  a 
number  of  fowls  for 
the  usual  Sunday 
chicken  dinner  at  the 
hotel.  The  killing  was 
done  in  the  usual 
manner  by  holding  the 
birds  by  the  feet  and 
chopping  their  heads 
off  with  an  axe  upon 
a  block  and  throwing 
the  bodies  into  an 
empty  barrell.  A  few 
hours  later  the  girls 
of  the  hotel  went  to 
the  shed  to  pick  and 
dress  the  fowls,  when 
a  Black  Minorca  pullet  was  taken  from  the  barrel  and  her 
feathers  pulled,  she  flopped,  and  the  girl  dropped  her 
in  fright.  The  pullet,  the  headless,  like  the  others, 
struck  on  her  feet  and  slowly  walked  around  the  room, 
whereupon  the  sirls,  all  terrorized,  ran  into  the  hotel 
screaming.  Investigation  followed  and  it  was  discov- 
ered that  the  Black  Minorca,  the  entirely  headless,  re- 
fused to  die. 

The  local  papers  told  the  story  and  for  more  than  two 
weeks  great  crowds  thronged  the  Hotel  Belvidere  to  see 
the  strange  and  unbelievable  sight  of  a  living  headless 
hen.  Everybody  who  heard  of  it  seemed  to  be  from 
Missouri  and  would  not  believe  until  they  had  actually 
seen  and  critically  examined,  whereupon  they  would  go 
forth  among  their  friends,  telling  the  truth,  only  to  be 
disbelieved  by  all  listeners  who  had  not  already  seen  the 
sight,  stranger  than  fiction, 


i6 


MINOR  CAS  OF 


Mr.  Hughes  fed  the  hen  by  means  of  a  syringe  injected 
into  the  raw  end  of  the  food  pipe.  Biddy  seemed  to 
relish  it.  At  times  she  would  walk  slowly  about,  stretch 
up  and  flap  her  wings,  going  through  the  motion  of  try- 
ing to  adjust  and  smooth  her  ruffled  feathers  as  though 
her  head  had  not  been  chopped  off.  At  other  times  she 
would  turn  on  her  perch,  sit  down  and  get  up  and  turn 

again,  and  at  other 
times  tried  to  croke 
or  sing.  She  appear- 
ed not  to  suffer  pain 
and   to   be   as   happy 

and  contented  as  any 
lien. 

On  the  25th  day 
of  November  Mr. 
Hughes  took  the 
biddy  to  the  photo- 
graph gallery  of  Lock- 
wood  &  Lemon,  Sault 
Ste.  Marie,  Michigan, 
where,  sitting  upon  a 
perch,  she  was  twice 
photographed,  and  at 
my  request,  Seeman  & 
Peters  of  Saginaw,  Michigan,  have  made  the  photograveur 
cuts  accompanying  this  article  for  the  benefit  of  those  who 
could  not,  without  them,  bring  themselves  to  believe  the 
truth  of  the  story  of  Hughes'  headless  hen. 

The  pictures  show  her  feathers  badly  ruffled  and  dis- 
ordered. That  condition  resulted  from  much  handling 
by  persons  who  would  not  believe  their  own  eyes,  but 
would  insist  on  handling  her  over  and  pulling  her  feath- 
ers apart  to  see  if  there  were  not  some  mechanical  de- 
vice employed  to  deceive  the  eye.  This  Minorca  lived 
until  November  30th,  five  days  after  the  accompanying 
pictures  were  taken  and  seventeen  days  after  her  head 
was  chopped  off  with  an  axe,  when  she  died,  the  result 
of  the  attendant,  in  Mr.  Hughes'  absence,  carelessly  al- 


EVERY  COMB    AND  COLOR  17 

lowing  the  end  of  the  neck  to  heal  over  the  end  of  the 
windpipe,  so  closely  as  to  smother  or  choke  her  to  death. 

Hundreds  saw  the  headless  hen  and  hundreds  won- 
dered; but  all  were  convinced  that  this  Minorca  hen  lived 
seventeen  days  without  a  head,  in  defiance  of  nature 
and  nature's  laws.  Had  she  received  the  same  care  which 
the  President  of  this  club  gives  his  Minorcas  she  might 
have  been  still  living  and  equaled  in  value  the  one  thous- 
and dollar  cockerel  of  the  same  breed. 

Inasmuch  as  Minorcas  will  not  die  off  like  others  by 
reason  of  illness,  but  live  on  in  good  health  and  lay  on 
in  great  numbers,  refuse  to  die  when  their  necks  are 
broken,  and  demonstrate  the  fact  that  you  can  not  kill 
them  with  an  axe,  who  shall  say  the  Black  Minorcas  are 
not  the  hardiest  and  most  healthy  hens  in  the  world? 

Sault  Ste.  Marie,  Michigan, 
March  15,  1905. 


DESCRIPTION     OF     SINGLE     COMB     BLACK 
MINORCAS. 

The  standard  weight  for  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
is  nine  pounds  for  cock,  seven  and  one-half  for  hen, 
seven  and  one-half  for  cockerel  and  six  and  one-half 
for  pullet.  Minorcas  belong  to  the  Mediterranean  class 
and  are  the  largest  fowl  in  that  class.  There  was  a 
period  in  their  history  when  the  Blacks  were  called 
Red  Faced  Black  Spanish  and  some  writers  think  that 
was  their  original  name,  but  in  this  respect  I  believe 
they  are  mistaken  and  that  it  was  only  a  local  and  tem- 
porary appellation  first  used  30  or  40  years  after  they 
were  well  established  as  Minorcas. 

They  are  distinguished  by  length  of  back  and  depth 
of  body,  high  stature,  a  large  strong  frame  amply 
rounded  out  with  the  most  flexible  and  elastic  muscles. 


FIW1  PHOTO^ftflpn 
&>&D\0nKt»fiY 

Clo.hmorthw_ 

aopvniaHTeo 


ELEGANTA 


Weight,  7    1-4   pounds. 

This  hen  was  sired  by  Black  Giant,  and  is  a  sister  to  a  bird 
which  as  cockerel  won  first  in  breeding  pen  at  New  York,  and  sev- 
eral other  Madison  Square  winners.  She  is  also  sister  to  Toro, 
whose  cut  appears  in  this  book.  Her  comb  is  as  near  perfect  under 
the  requirements  of  the  new  standard  as  it  is  possible  to  imagine. 
Her  form  for  elegance  and  her  carriage  for  style  is  about  allthat  can 
be  desired, 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  19 

The  Minorca  is  elegant  in  form  rather  than  clumsy  or 
awkward,  and  its  every  motion  indicates  strength,  vigor 
and  grace.  Instead  of  moving  slowly,  as  many  large 
fowls  do,  it  is  sprightly  and  ever  on  the  alert  to  win  its 
food  and  avoid  its  enemies.  Another  characteristic  of 
the  Minorca,  and  one  in  which  it  is  unlike  other  large 
fowls,  is  that  its  feathers  lie  smoothly  and  very  close 
to  its  body,  for  which  reason  the  Minorca  looks  much 
smaller  than  other  fowls  of  the  same  weight  and  has  a 
smoother  and  more  stylish  appearance.  It  is  impos- 
sible to  conceive  of  any  more  beautiful  and  perfect  adap- 
tation of  structure  to  the  conditions  of  existence  and 
functions  of  life  than  that  which  is  exhibited  in  the 
Minorca  with  reference  to  its  intended  mode  of  life. 
Since  the  Minorca  was  admitted  to  the  American  Stand- 
ard in  1888  it  has  been  favored  by  having  a  standard 
made  to  fit  the  best  natural  type  of  the  breed  instead 
of  being  encumbered  with  unnatural  requirements  and 
having  its  best  development  hampered  to  suit  passing 
fads  and  fancies  of  the  hour. 

The  standard  weights  as  given  at  the  beginning  of 
this  chapter  are  about  the  average  weights,  for  though 
some  cocks  have  reached  eleven  pounds  and  some  hens 
weigh  eight  and  one-half  pounds  each,  others,  which 
are  equally  well  bred,  fall  below  the  standard  weight 
according  to  conditions  which  are  more  or  less  favor- 
able to  vigorous  growth.  It  is  very  easy  to  breed  good 
stock  so  that  nearly  all  specimens  will  reach  the  stand- 
ard in  weight  and  approach  creditably  near  to  it  in 
other  points.  ■  But  so  much  depends  on  food  and  care 
during  the  period  of  growth,  and  nature  is  so  eccentric 
in  her  freaks,  that  it  would  be  unreasonable  to  expect 
all  specimens  of  any  variety  of  fowls  to  be  exactly  the 
same  size  or  without  variation  in  other  respects.  The 
aim  of  the  standard  is  to  describe  an  ideal  bird  which  is 
a  composite  of  the  best  in  each  section  as  seen  in  the 
best  specimens  of  the  breed  when  reared  under  the  most 
favorable  conditions.  It  is  by  breeding  to  produce  birds 
as  near  as  possible  to  this  described  ideal  and  by  bring- 
ing the  best  results  of  our  labor  together  in  the  show- 
room for  comparison  that  American  Minorca  fanciers 


20  MINORCAS  OF 

have  been  able,  not  only  to  perpetuate  the  original  ex- 
cellence of  Black  Minorcas,  bnt  to  improve  their  quali- 
ties of  usefulness. 

In  external  appearance  no  fowl  is  more  beautiful 
than  the  Single  Comb  Black' Minorca,  with  its  glisten- 
ing plumage  of  solid  green  black,  its  bright  red  face 
and  large  comb  and  wattles  of  same  color,  with  the  large 
pure  white  almond  shaped  ear-lobe,  which  intervenes 
between  the  bright  red  of  comb  and  face  and  the  metallic 
green  black  plumage,  contrasting  beautifully  with  both. 

While  the  legs  of  the  Black  Minorca  are  dark  colored 
below  the  feathers,  the  skin  of  the  Minorca,  which  is 
covered  with  feathers,  is  delicate  white.  The  legs  of 
the  Minorca  are  long  and  in  good  proportion  to  the  long 
sloping  back.  -In  color,  the  darker  the  legs  the  better. 
However,  the  color  of  legs  is  different  at  different  ages, 
varying  in  young  chicks  from  light  to  nearly  black  in 
different  specimens.  The  lightest  colored  legs  of  chicks 
become  as  dark  as  the  darkest  at  maturity.  The  best 
specimens  have  black  or  nearly  black  legs  by  the  time 
they  are  eight  months  old,  but  after  the  bird  has  reached 
full  maturity  its  legs  grow  lighter  in  color  as  it  ad- 
vances in  age. 

For  description  of  shape  of  comb  see  the  ideal  cuts 
of  male  and  female.  Notice  that  the  comb  of  male  has 
six  even  serrations,  that  it  follows  the  shape  of  the  neck, 
but  does  not  rest  on  the  feathers,  is  smooth  from  front 
to  back,  also  straight  and  erect  and  has  a  broad  base 
which  makes  the  comb  less  liable  to  lop.  Now  I  would 
call  attention  to  the  wattles.  The  same  cut  shows  that 
they  should  be  of  equal  length,  soft  and  falling  with 
the  edges  turned  outward,  but  free  from  folds  or 
wrinkles.  The  comb  of  the  Minorca  hen  is  quite  large 
and  is  similar  in  outline  to  that  of  the  cock,  but  instead 
of  standing  erect  it  should  fall  gracefully  at  one  side 
of  the  head.  The  perfect  comb  rises  slightly  from  the 
head  at  the  front  and  forms  a  small  loop  at  one  side 
before  falling  on  the  other  side.  The  shape  and  po- 
sitionof  hen's  comb  should  be  such  as  to  give  her  per- 
fect vision  in  front,  but  her  "  sidewise  glance  "  is  partly 
obstructed  by  the  comb  as  it  falls  over  the  side  of  her 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  2t 

head.  The  Minorca  pullet  develops  her  comb  so  slowly 
that  it  seldom  attains  full  size  until  she  is  about  to 
begin  laying.  During  moult  the  combs  of  Minorcas 
shrink  away  so  as  to  be  hardly  recognized  to  be  the 
same.  This  is  more  noticeable  in  the  hen  than  in  the 
cock,  for  her  comb  nearly  always  shrinks  to  less  than 
half  its  usual  size  during  her  moulting  period  and  does 
not  resume  its  natural  size  again  until  her  new  feathers 
are  fully  grown  and  she  is  about  ready  to  begin  laying. 


THE  MINORCA  AS  A  GENERAL  PURPOSE  FOWL. 

A  thoroughly  excellent  general  purpose  fowl  is  under- 
stood to  be  a  breed  which  reaches  or  surpasses  the  av- 
erage degree  of  excellence  in  all  the  qualities  for  which 
fowls  are  valued.  Now  that  incubators  and  brooders 
are  so  successfully  operated  and  so  generally  used,  the 
hatching  and  rearing  of  chicks  has  ceased  to  be  a  pur- 
pose which  fowls  are  desired  to  fill.  It  is  for  them  an 
occupation  of  the  past,  now  as  needless  as  the  artsi  of 
spinning  and  weaving  are  for  the  modern  housewife. 
In  this  respect  the  Minorca  makes  for  itself  a  special 
value  in  absolutely  refusing  to  waste  its  time  sitting. 
Minorca  hens  are  the  most  persistent  non-sitters  we  have 
and  are  the  largest  of  all  non-sitting  breeds,  being  at 
least  two  pounds  heavier  than  their  nearest  competitor 
in  this  line  of  usefulness.  That  the  Minorca  hen  does 
not  otherwise  waste  the  time,  which  she  neglects  to  use 
in  performing  maternal  duties,  is  well  demonstrated  by 
her  unequaled  record  as  an  egg-producer  summer  and 
winter  under  all  circumstances  and  in  all  climates. 

Another  feature  of  the  value  of  Minorcas  is  that  the 
laying  period  of  their  lives  is  comparatively  longer 
than  that  of  the  other  breeds.    Well  kept  Minorca  pul- 


22  AfJNORCAS  OF 

lets  begin  laying  when  very  yonng.  Those  hatched  in 
April  lay  at  the  age  of  five  months,  and  many  July  and 
August-hatched  Minorca  pullets  are  reported  to  begin 
laying  in  January  and  February,  and  instead  of  falling 
off  in  egg-production  proportionally  early,  Minorca 
hens  lay  well  to  a  greater  age  than  is  usual  for  common 
fowls  or  hens  of  other  breeds.  As  a  rule  the  average 
hen  is  considered  to  have  passed  her  most  profitable 
time  for  egg-production  when  she  is  two  years  old.  In 
my  own  experience  I  have  owned  many  Black  Minorca 
hens  which  laid  as  well  at  four  and  five  years  of  age  as 
at  any  time  in  their  life,  and  some  still  older  laid  well 
as  long  as  they  lived.  The  American  Cultivator,  Novem- 
ber 3,  1900,  gives  a  report  of  an  experiment  which  was 
made  at  the  Canadian  Central  Experiment  Station  Farm 
to  test  the  laying  qualities  of  old  hens,  three  years  old 
or  more,  from  December  1st  to  June  30th,  with  the  fol- 
lowing results: 

7  Black  Minor cas  produced  493  eggs =70  3-7  eggs  each 
10  B.   P.   Eocks  produced   555  eggs=55  1-2  eggs  each 

12  W.  Leghorns  produced  591  eggs=49  1-4  eggs  each 
7  Col.  Dorkings  produced  342  eggs=48  6-7  eggs  each 
Showing  that  Minorcas  laid  nearly  a  third  more  than 
the  average  of  their  competitors  at  the  age  of  three 
years  and  over.  But  the  most  extraordinary  case  which 
has  come  to  my  notice  is  that  of  a  Black  Minorca  hen 

13  years  old  which  laid  102  eggs  between  November 
1st  and  March  23rd,  as  reported  to  me  in  the  following 
letter: 

Port  Allegheny,  Pa.,  March  23,  1905. 
Mr.  George  H.  Northup, 

Send  me  your  catalogue  of  poultry.  Maybe  here  is 
something  that  will  interest  you:  Fourteen  years  ago 
this  month  I  bought  a  setting  of  Black  Minorca  eggs  of 
you  and  hatched  10,  I  think,  from  them.  This  winter 
one  hen  of  that  brood  has  laid  102  eggs  since  November 
1st,  and  they  are  the  largest  I  get  out  of  a  flock  of  100. 
The  hen  is  a  pet  and  lays  in  a  place  on  the  porch,  so 
know  it  to  be  a  fact,  also  because  of  a  peculiar  ring  at 
the  small  end  of  egg.    She  is  the  only  one  of  that  brood 


EVERY  COMB    AND  COLOR  23 

left;  as  we  have  her  marked  we  know  she  is  of  that 
brood.     A  pretty  good  record,  I  think. 

Very  trnly  yours, 
W.  L.  HAZEN. 
The  Minorca  has  earned  the  high  position  which  it 
holds  in  the  poultry  world,  as  being  the  greatest  of  all 
egg-producers  known,  both  as  to  size  and  number  of 
eggs  laid,  and  it  cannot  be  surpassed  in  the  quality  of 
its  meat  for  table  use.  Besides,  its  hardiness  makes  it 
a  very  easy  fowl  to  rear.  I  purposely  said  the  Minorca 
earned  its  position,  because  when  I  first  introduced  BlacK 
Minorcas  to  American  breeders,  about  twenty-two  years 
ago,  by  importing  them  from  England,  many  articles  ap- 
peared in  the  journals  saying,  "  Don't  be  humbugged 
by  the  extravagant  stories  of  the  great  laying  qualities 
of  Black  Minorcas,"  and  "  We  have  several  varieties 
which  can  discount  them  in  the  number  of  eggs  laid." 
But  the  Minorcas  proved  that  the  writers  of  such  ar- 
ticles did  not  know  what  they  were  talking  about,  by 
demonstrating,  in  the  egg  contests  of  practical  poultry- 
men  in  the  United  States,  their  ability  to  surpass  all 
competitors.  Then  it  was  declared,  by  those  who  did 
not  know,  that  the  Minorcas  were  not  as  good  winter 
layers  as  some  other  breeds,  but  after  testing  them  ex- 
perimently,  in  comparison  with  other  breeds,  for  three 
successive  winters,  the  Report  of  the  Canadian  Experi- 
ment Station  places  Black  Minorcas  at  the  head  of  the 
list  of  the  most  profitable  laying  hens,  and  gives  one 
contest  for  December  and  January,  of  Black  Minorcas 
against  Light  Brahmas,  Buff  Cochins,  Black  Hamburgs, 
Black  Langshans,  Houdans,  White  Leghorns,  Plymouth 
Rocks,  Red  Caps,  Andalusians  and  Wyandottes,  show- 
ing that  the  Black  Minorcas  greatly  outlayed  their  near- 
est competitors  and  more  than  doubled  the  average  of 
all  the  other  breeds  in  the  contest,  in  the  two  least  favor- 
able of  the  winter  months  of  a  severe  climate.  The  re- 
port further  states  that  Black  Minorcas  laid  larger  eggs 
by  actual  weight  than  any  other  breed  of  hens  at  the  sta- 
tion, among  which  we  have  seen  that  Light  Brahmas 
were  included.  A  pen  of  Black  Minorcas  have  a  record 
in  England  of  236  eggs  each,  laid  in  one  year.     And  I 


24  M/jVORCAS  of 

will  give  an  extract  of  what  is  said  of  Minorcas  on  page 
27  of  publication  182  (Department  of  Agriculture),  is- 
sued by  the  Board  for  Exports  of  New  South  Wales, 
Australia.  It  is  as  follows:  "  This  breed,  as  it  existed 
a  number  of  years  ago,  was  a  more  compact  bird  than 
that  exhibited  at  the  present  time.  They  have  large, 
evenly  serrated  combs,  with  an  almond-shaped  ear-lobe, 
the  legs  are  black  and  flesh  white.  Although  not  a  great 
fattener,  the  Minorca  is  the  very  best  layer  we  have,  the 
eggs  are  large,  and  wonderful  figures  have  been  pub- 
lished as  to  quantities,  but  allowing  the  usual  discount 
for  interested  returns,  they  are  left  with  a  record  far 
in  excess  of  any  other  breed,  while  the  great  numbers 
annually  exhibited  at  the  leading  shows,  and  being  more 
generally  kept  than  any  other  pure  variety,  is  evidence 
sufficient  of  their  popularity,  whether  as  an  exhibition 
bird  or  a  useful  domestic  fowl.  They  can  be  kept 
profitably^  whether  on  the  free  range  of  farm-holding 
or  in  the  confined  run  of  the  suburban  poultry  keeper. 
The  extreme  temperature  of  winter  or  summer  months 
have  little  effect  on  them  for  ill.  The  chickens  are  easily 
reared,  the  cockerels  are  very  precocious  and  the  pullets 
lay  at  an  early  age.  When  given  a  free  run  they  can 
be  very  cheaply  fed,  being  good  scavengers  for  natural 
food.  To  improve  the  Minorca,  as  a  layer,  by  crossing, 
need  not  be  attempted,  but  the  breed  can  be  used  to 
great  advantage  for  improving  the  laying  properties  of 
a  yard  of  ordinary  farm  poultry.  A  male  bird  of  the 
breed  will  suffice  for  every  dozen  hens;  and  in  selecting 
such,  exhibition  specimens  are  unnecessary,  purity  of 
breed  and  good  size,  combined  with  a  vigorous  constitu- 
tion, being  chief  considerations." 

In  the  recent  egg-laying  contest  at  Eockdale,  N.  S.  W., 
Australia,  conducted  by  Mr.  Mcintosh  for  the  "  Daily 
Telegraph  "  of  Sydney,  which  commenced  April,  1905, 
and  ended  with  March,  1906,  fifty  pens  competing,  nine 
different  breeds  being  represented,  Black  Minorcas  led 
the  list  in  number  of  eggs  per  hen  and  value  of  same. 
The  average  number  of  eggs  per  Black  Minorca  hen  was 
237.5  and  the  value  of  each  hen's  product  as  sold  in 
the  market  was  $4.78.     The  nearest  competitor  to    the 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  2$ 

Minorca  laid  218.5  eggs  per  hen  and  value  of  product 
per  hen  was  $4.60  or  18  cents  each  less  than  the  product 
of  Black  Minorcas  per  hen.  Aside  from  Black  Minorcas, 
the  average  per  hen  for  all  the  other  breeds  in  compe- 
tition was  201.74  eggs  or  35.76  eggs  per  hen  less  than 
the  Black  Minorcas,  and  the  value  of  product  from  the 
other  eight  breeds  averaged  $3,945  per  hen,  showing 
that  the  Minorcas  earned  83  1-2  cents  each  more  than 
the  average  of  all  the  other  hens  in  competition  with 
them.  All  the  hens  in  this  contest  were  housed  and  fed 
exactly  alike.  The  runs  were  10x40  feet  and  were  bare 
sand  without  grass,  which  shows  that  Black  Minorcas 
bear  confinement  as  well  as  they  appreciate  and  utilize 
a  large  run.  The  breeds  in  this  competition  were  Black 
Minorcas,  Langshans,  Black  Hamburg's,  Rose  Comb 
White  Leghorns,  Single  Comb  Brown  Leghorns,  Single 
Comb  White  Leghorns,  Black  Orpingtons,  Rose  Comb 
Brown  Leghorns  and  Silver  Wyandottes.  According  to 
this  contest,  and  laying  at  the  same  rate  a  flock  of  100 
Black  Minorcas  will  produce  eggs  to  the  value  of  $478 
per  year  or  $83.50  more  profit  per  year  than  the  average 
of  the  other  best  laying  breeds  at  market  prices,  which 
were  about  the  same  as  we  receive  in  this  country,  the 
lowest  being  13  cents  per  dozen  and  the  highest  48  cents 
per  dozen. 

In  the  light  of  the  foregoing  contests,  it  is  evident  that 
market  poultrymen  in  general  will  sooner  or  later  take 
up  Black  Minorcas,  both  to  satisfy  their  customers  who 
will  demand  larger  and  better  eggs,  and  to  derive  greater 
profit  for  themselves,  because,  as  we  have  seen,  Min- 
orcas will  lay  larger  and  better  eggs  than  any  other 
breed  and  at  the  same  time  will  lay  more  of  them,  and 
buyers  will  pay  more  per  dozen  for  large  eggs  than  they 
will  for  small  ones. 

The  scarcity  of  genuine  Black  Minorcas  compared 
with  other  breeds  is  another  incentive  to  breed  them. 
Hundreds  of  inquiries  come  every  year  to  Minorca  fan- 
ciers from  people  who  wish  to  buy  them  in  lots  of  from  25 
to  1000,  either  to  stock  a  new  plant  or  to  supplant  other 
breeds  which  have  proven  less  profitable  than  Minorcas 
on  market  farms  where  other  kinds  have  been  kept — 


26  AUA'OA'CAS  OF 

such  inquiries  are  asking  for  just  pure  Minorcas  with 
little  regard  to  fancy  points  and  they  are  willing  to  pay 
from  $2.00  to  $5.00  each  for  them,  making  an  outlet  at 
good  prices  for  all  that  are  not  strictly  fancy.  The  fancy 
specimens  of  Black  Minorcas  sell  for  higher  prices  than 
any  other  breed  for  the  same  simple  reasons  that  they 
are  valued  above  all  other  breeds  and  that  the  supply 
is  limited.  As  proof  of  this,  look  in  the  poultry  journals 
and  you  will  see  comparatively  few  offering  Minorcas 
for  sale,  while  the  ad.  columns  are  crowded  with  offers 
of  most  all  other  breeds.  Consequently,  he  who  would 
sell  Black  Minorcas  has  only  a  few  sellers  to  compete 
with,  while  to  sell  any  other  prominent  breed  one  has 
hundreds  offering  the  same  on  every  side. 

Further,  the  flesh  of  Minorcas  is  equal  to  any  and  bet- 
ter than  that  of  most  fowls,  being  exceedingly  tender 
and  fine  flavored.  Their  bodies  are  large,  hens  weigh- 
ing from  6  1-2  to  8  pounds  and  cocks  from  8  to  10  pounds, 
varying  with  different  strains  and  the  care  and  attention 
they  receive  while  growing. 

I  recently  read  an  article  from  the  pen  of  T.  A.  Faulds 
of  London,  Ont.,  who  is  a  market  dealer  in  poultry  and 
dairy  products,  and  he  says  the  Minorca  is  the  best 
chicken  he  knows  for  table  use,  fine  quality  of  meat,  ex- 
cellent flavor,  and  the  nearest  approach  to  turkey  of  all 
fowls  he  has  used. 

Many  of  my  customers  tell  me  that  they  find  the  Black 
Minorca  the  best  fowl  they  have  tried  for  table  use,  the 
flesh  being  exceedingly  tender,  juicy,  of  fine  flavor  and 
abundant  in  quantity.  The  same  has  been  my  own  ex- 
perience whenever  1  have  used  them  for  that  purpose, 
and  I  recently  read  an  article  contributed  by  Hon.  Jo- 
seph P.  Hilldorfer,  who  owns  the  largest  meat  business 
in  Pittsburg,  Pa.,  in  which  he  says :  "I  own  the  largest 
and  best  wholesale  and  retail  meat  business  in  the  city 
and  handle  dressed  poultry  by  the  ton,  and  I  say  for  table 
fowl,  give  me  the  Minorca,  first,  last  and  all  the  time. 
I  am  very  well  aware  that  there  is  a  prejudice  among 
some  people  in  favor  of  the  yellow  legs  and  skin  in  table 
poultry,  but  I  know  that  the  Minorca,  with  its  white  skin 
and  tender,  juicy,  well  flavored  meat,  is  far  ahead  of  any 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  27 

other  breed  we  handle,  and  as  I  cater  to  the  trade  of 
the  best  restaurants  and  hotels  in  the  city,  I  feel  capable 
to  judge  about  such  things.  Minorcas  are  so  much  bet- 
ter for  market  than  other  breeds  of  fowls  that  I  wish 
I  could  get  enough,  so  I  could  handle  them  exclusively. 
I  am  sure  there  is  no  other  way  I  could  please  and  keep 
my  patrons  so  well  as  to  be  able  at  all  times  to  furnish 
them  a  plump,  well  fattened  Minorca  fowl  or  chicken. 
My  advice  to  anyone  who  wishes  the  best  fowl  for  the 
table  and  the  best  for  laying  is  to  get  Black  Minorcas, 
and  if  you  wish  to  win  out  in  politics,  invite  your  friends 
to  partake  of  a  plump  Minorca  cockerel,  stuffed  and 
roasted  fit  to  win  over  the  finest  young  turkey  they  ever 
saw,  and  you  will  not  be  disappointed. ' ' 

Minorcas  are  easy  to  care  for,  tame,  gentle  and  very 
domestic  in  their  disposition,  always  watching  for  nat- 
ural food  which  is  within  their  reach,  never  dull  or  lazy, 
but  always  active,  apparently  interested  in  life,  and  well 
contented  with  their  lot.  There  is  no  breed  which  bears 
confinement  better. 

Mr.  Stephen  Beale,  an  English  writer  who  is  considered 
authority  on  all  poultry  subjects,  says  of  the  Black  Min- 
orcas in  ' '  Profitable  Poultry  Keeping  ' ' : 

"  They  form  one  branch  of  the  Spanish  family,  and 
have  been  carefully  bred  for  many  years  in  the  South 
of  England.  Their  great  value  as  layers  has  made  them 
very  popular  all  over  the  country,  and  they  are  now  the 
most  popular  fowl  in  England.  Nor  can  we  wonder  at 
it,  for  their  great  fecundity,  the  large  eggs  they  produce 
(weighing  two  pounds  to  the  dozen)  their  precocity  and 
hardiness,  their  adaptability  for  all  soils  and  places, 
whether  confined  or  otherwise,  make  them  one  of  the 
most  useful  breeds  we  possess,  and  being  non-sitters, 
we  must  give  the  Minorcas  the  first  position  among  all 
the  laying  breeds  of  poultry.  They  are  not  unlike  the 
Leghorns  in  their  general  appearance,  having  the  red 
face  and  white  ear-lobe,  but  a  much  larger  comb,  and 
will  average  in  weight,  two  to  three  pounds  heavier. 
They  are  very  hardy,  mature  early,  pullets  laying  at  six- 
teen to  twenty  weeks,  can  be  kept  on  any  soil,  are  capi- 
tal foragers,  small  eaters,  and  the  fowl  best  suiting  the 
farmer,  either  alone  or  to  cross  on  other  varieties." 


VICTOR 

BREP^E-XHiaiTE-D  BY 

'in,    GEOHNOROTVP   - 

"".      fJACEVILLE  t^-Y- 

.5INffyLDfoR*l  000.?i( 


'W-O'^"  -■- 


"T^" 


VICTOR,  Weight  9  lbs. 

The  First  and  Only  Cock  Ever  Sold  for  $1,000. 

Winner  of  1st  Philadelphia,  1st  Boston 

and    1st   Chicago. 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  29 


ORIGIN  OF  ROSE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS. 

The  first  year  I  bred  Black  Minorcas  from  imported 
stock  I  hatched  a  cockerel  which  had  two  side  sprigs 
at  the  hack  end  of  his  comb.  This  was  a  source  of  an- 
noyance to  me  for  a  while  every  time  I  saw  the  bird,  be- 
cause he  was  elegant  in  shape,  a  fine  large  fellow  and 
just  my  ideal  of  the  correct  Minorca  type,  and  I  re- 
gretted to  see  the  symmetry  of  so  fine  a  bird  marred  by 
an  irregular  comb.  But  later  I  decided  to  mate  him  to 
a  hen  which  I  selected  as  the  best  suited  to  my  purpose, 
partly  to  satisfy  my  curiosity  and  to  ascertain  if  a  sys- 
tem of  breeding  persistently  followed  would  produce 
a  distinct  variation  which  could  be  depended  upon  to 
repeat  itself  and  leave  all  other  points  unchanged.  I 
had  'the  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  in  mind  from  the 
start  because  I  thought  a  pure  Black  Minorca  with  a 
small  rose  comb,  or,  as  nearly  as  possible,  no  comb  at  all, 
would  fill  a  certain  place  in  the  poultry  world  better 
than  any  breed  already  established  could  do.  The 
Single  Comb  Black  Minorca  seemed  to  me  to  be  all  that 
could  be  desired  in  'the  way  of  a  general  purpose  fowl 
except  that  its  very  large  comb  seemed  likely  to  prevent 
it.  from  becoming  a  general  favorite  in  our  Northern 
climate.  Besides,  I  saw  in  such  a  system  of  breeding 
an  opportunity  to  ascertain  how  much  a  strain  of  fowls 
could  be  made  to  diverge  from  its  natural  type  by  breed- 
ing in  one  direction  away  from  the  natural  tendency.  I 
considered  the  knowledge  to  be  gained  worth  the  effort, 
whether  the  primary  object  of  producing  pure  Rose 
Comb  Black  Minorcas  was  or  was  not  achieved.  If  it 
did  succeed,  it  proved  the  strong  influence  of  mating 
for  good  or  bad  results  and  proved  the  value  of  thor- 
ough investigation  of  any  line  of  breeding  which  sug- 
gested improvement  in  the  established  qualities  of  a 
breed. 


30  MINOR  CAS  OF 

Breeding  only  from  birds  which  showed  the  greatest 
variation  from  the  smooth  Single  Comb,  and  selecting 
each  season  only  those  which  approached  nearest  to  the 
object  in  view,  it  was  not  until  the  summer  of  1889  that 
I  succeeded  in  getting  one  pullet  with  anything  that 
could  be  called  a  rose  comb.  This  proved  to  be  an  im- 
portant gain,  for  75  per  cent,  of  the  chicks  she  produced 
in  the  spring  and  summer  of  1890  had  rose  combs,  mostly 
of  irregular  shape.  I  selected  those  with  the  best  shaped 
and  smallest  combs  to  breed  from  the  coming  season. 

The  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  which  I  thus  bred 
were  the  first  ever  bred  anywhere.  The  first  published 
articie  mentioning  Eose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  was  writ- 
ten by  ire  and  published  in  Poultry  Monthly,  February, 
1891.  The  first  Eose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  which  were 
ever  exhibited  at  a  show  were  my  own,  shown  at  Glov- 
ersville,  N.  Y.,  December,  1891.  The  year  following  I 
showed  thirteen  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas,  twelve 
adult  birds  and  one  pullet,  at  the  New  York  and  New 
England  Fair  held  at  Albany,  and  in  January,  1894,  I 
showed  a  full  class  at  Saratoga  Springs.  Up  to  that  time 
no  other  breeder  had  ever  exhibited  an  adult  Rose  Comb 
B^ack  Minorca.  I  did  not  begin  to  offer  for  sale  either 
Rose  Comb  fowls  or  their  eggs  'till  the  spring  of  1894, 
and  then  only  a  limited  number.  Previous  to  that  time 
no  Rose  Comb  egars  or  fowls  had  left  my  yards,  except 
two  males,  which  were  sold  to  parties  who  used  them  for 
cross-breeding,  and  one  setting  of  eggs  which  I  gave  to 
a  friend  who  kept  every  bird  hatched  from  them  till 
after  I  began  to  sell  Rose  Comb  Minorca  eggs  for  hatch- 
ing. 

By  thus  keeping  the  entire  product  of  Rose  Comb 
Black  Minorcas  in  my  own  hands  I  could  carry  out  my 
plan  of  breeding  without  interruption,  and  would  know 
how  any  result  which  might  be  achieved  had  been  ar- 
rived at,  and  profit  by  the  knowledge  in  future  opera- 
tions. If  a  Rose  Comb  fowl  had  been  my  only  object 
there  would  have  been  no  reason  for  trying  to  breed  it 
in  this  way,  because  there  were  plenty  of  Rose  Oomb  va- 
rieties already  established.  A  Rose  Comb  fowl  with 
the  external  appearance  of  a  Minorca  could  probably 


JfeoLoLlijhtlll  W  ty&> 


HEADLIGHT  III. 


This  cock  is  brother  to  Victor,  the  cock  which  was  sold  for 
$1,000,  and  whose  picture  appears  in  this  book.  Victor  and  Head- 
light III  were  hatched  from  the  same  setting  of  eggs. 


32  MINOKCAS  OF 

have  been  bred  more  easily  by  crossing,  but  it  would 
have  proven  nothing  in  the  line  of  breeding  that  I  was 
working  on,  for  instead  of  establishing  anything  in  re- 
gard to  the  results  of  systematic  breeding,  any  cross- 
breeding is  sure  to  ingraft  other  qualities  besides  the 
particular  quality  or  feature  desired,  while  a  complete 
change  in  the  form  of  one  feature  such  as  I  was  breed- 
ing for  and  such  as  I  have  accomplished,  shows  that 
there  is  no  end  of  the  improvement  which  can  be  made 
in  similar  ways,  and  at  the  same  time  demonstrates  the 
great  danger  of  faulty  selection  and  mating  by  which 
the  breeder  may  be  unconsciously  by  carelessness  or  ig- 
norance breeding  directly  away  from  the  result  he  most 
desires.  In  producing  the  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
I  did  not  resort  to  any  crossing  whatever,  "but  followed 
always  the  same  course  which  is  described  at  the  be- 
ginning of  this  chapter. 

It  was  quite  difficult,  and  required  many  years  of 
breeding,  to  reduce  the  size  of  comb  and  establish  a  de- 
sirable shape.  At  first  many  of  the  combs  were  as  thin 
at  the  head  as  a  single  comb,  terminating  in  several  rows 
of  irregular  serrations,  making  the  comb  top-heavy  and 
causing  it  to  drop  over  to  one  side  of  the  head  and  those 
which  sat  more  firmly  on  the  head  were,  some  of  them, 
as  large  as  Red  Cap  combs  and  of  many  shapes.  Some 
were  regular  on  one  side  and  irregular  on  the  other, 
forming  a  sort  of  crescent.  Others  were  large  and  full 
at  the  front,  but  only  extending  back  as  far  as  attached 
to  the  head;  some  of  these  were  even  hollowed  at  the 
back  instead  of  ending  with  a  spike,  and  some  had  the 
appearance  of  tipping  forward  over  the  beak.  Another 
variation  of  comb  was  partly  rose  and  partly  single,  that  is, 
either  rose  at  the  front  and  single  at  the  back,  or  the 
reverse.  These  variations  have,  by  careful  mating,  been 
gradually  overcome  and  the  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca 
now  breeds  as  true  to  comb  as  any  of  the  older  of  rose 
comb  varieties.  Until  this  result  was  obtained  I  each 
year  killed  many  birds  which  I  could  have  sold  for  large 
prices  had  I  been  willing  to  do  so.  I  bred  only  from 
those  which  approached  nearest  my  ideal.  The  chicks 
selected  from  the  hatch  of  18877  four  in  number,  two 


. 


• 


. 


' 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  ^ 

cockerels  and  two  pullets,  were  bred  in  separate  pens 
in  1888.  Pullets  raised  from  one  of  these  pens  were 
mated  with  cockerels  raised  from  the  other,  and  vice 
versa,  for  the  next  year's  breeding.  And  my  system  has 
since  been  to  keep  them  divided  and  increase  the  num- 
ber of  pens  so. that  I  could  each  year  breed  farther  away 
from  the  common  center  and  each  year  bring  the  most 
distant  relations  together  for  mating,  thus  to  breed  out 
instead  of  in. 


PROGRESS  OF  ROSE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS. 


During  the  time  that  I  was  culling  my  flocks  and  re- 
jecting a  greater  part  of  each  hatch  as  unfit  to  breed 
from,  the  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  were  gaining  no- 
toriety from  other  sources.  Immediately  after  my  first 
Rose  /Comb  article  appeared  in  the  Poultry  Monthly 
many  people  wrote  me  desiring  to  buy  some  of  my  Rose 
Comb  Black  Minorcas  or  their  eggs,  but  I  refused  all 
offers  and  did  not  begin  to  offer  either  for  sale  until  the 
spring  of  1894,  as  I  have  previously  stated,  when  I  of- 
fered a  limited  number  of  eggs  for  hatching  at  $10.00 
per  13.  In  the  winter  of  1895  I  sold  a  few  trios  at  $35.00 
per  trio.  By  this  time  I  had  exhibited  some  of  my  Rose 
Comb  Black  Minorca  fowls  and  chicks  in  different  shows. 
Several  fanciers  mentioned  them  favorably  in  articles 
which  appeared  in  different  journals,  and  many  people  be- 
came interested  in  them; 

It  was  now  evident  that  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
were  a  valuable  acquisition    from  a  money  standpoint 


34  MINORCAS  OF 

just  like  anything  else  in  which  people  see  practical 
value,  desire  to  possess,  and  are  willing  to  pay  for  ac- 
cording to  their  desire.  This  growing  popularity  nat- 
urlally  attracted  the  attention  of  breeders,  and  I  have 
certain  knowledge  of  four  who,  rather  than  wait  until 
they  could  obtain  the  genuine  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
or  pay  prices  which  were  in  accordance  with  the  value 
of  such  a  variety,  tried  to  produce  by  cross-breeding, 
fowls  which  should  resemble  them  sufficiently  to  be  ex- 
hibited and  sold  as  true  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas. 
Such  breeders,  of  course,  cared  nothing  for  the  future 
of  the  Minorca  nor  for  that  of  any  other  pure  breed. 
The  controlling  desire  was  to  produce  something  quickly 
to  derive  money  from  just  at  that  present  time  with 
little  regard  to  the  real  and  permanent  value  of  that 
which  was  produced  or  its  lasting  value  as  a  source  of 
income,  nor  did  they  appreciate  the  knowledge  of  prin- 
ciples by  which  such  results  could  be  produced.  Of 
course  the  Rose  Comb  fowls  which  were  thus  produced 
were  not  Minorcas  at  all,  nor  will  their  progeny  ever  be 
Minorcas  or  answer  the  purpose  for  which  Rose  Comb 
Black  Minorcas  were  originated,  because  they  will  al- 
ways be  reverting  to  the  foreign  blood  which  is  in  them, 
some  showing  one  characteristic  and  some  another,  so 
that  there  will  be  no  uniformity  among  them,  either  in 
egg  production  or  outside  appearance,  and  the  best  of 
them  have  so  little  of  the  true  Minorca  type  that  they  have 
always  been  defeated  when  they  have  come  in  compe- 
tition with  genuine  Minorcas.  The  impression  that 
these  cross-bred  fowls  made  was,  that  they  were  inferior 
to  the  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas  and  they  were  criti- 
cised as  resembling  Red  Caps,  Hamburgs  or  Wyandottes, 
in  type,  as  much  or  more  than  they  did  Minorcas. 

But  the  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  which  I  origi- 
nated could  not  show  any  other  than  the  true  Minorca 
type,  because  they  had  no  other  than  pure  Minorca  blood 
in  them.  They  had  only  to  be  seen  to  be  recognized  as 
Minorcas,  of  the  highest  order  and  finest  type,  and  when 
they  have  come  in  competition  with  Single  Comb  Black 
Minorcas  for  special  prizes  the  Rose  Combs  have  won 
more  than  the  Single  Combs.    The  best  Minorca  judges, 


"Nik. 


Is^Frize Pullet  a1[ 
Boston   |3°5 

Bred  &■  owned  lay 

GHMorUug 
Raceville 


1st  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  Pullet,  Boston,   \  905. 
Weight,  6  1-2  lbs. 


36  MINORCAS  OF 

both  English  and  American,  who  have  seen  them  in  the 
shows,  as  well  as  in  my  yards,  have  said  they  see  no 
characteristic  difference  between  the  best  Single  Comb 
Black  Minorcas  and  the  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
which  I  have  exhibited. 

Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  have  overcome  all  the 
prejudice  which  was  created  against  them  by  the  spuri- 
ous stock  which  was  thrown  on  the  market  under  their 
name  before  they  were  well  known  to  the  public,  and  not 
only  this,  but  they  have  steadily  gained  in  popular  fa- 
vor until  they  stand  today  far  ahead  of  all  other  breeds 
and  varieties  of  fowls  as  money  earners  for  their  own- 
ers. All  breeders  of  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas,  of 
whose  business  I  have  any  knowledge,  report  that  they 
have  more  ready  sale  for  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca 
eggs  and  breeding  birds  and  at  higher  prices  than  for 
the  product  of  any  other  variety  they  have  ever  bred. 

Undoubtedly  the  price  paid  for  Rose  Comb  Black  Min- 
orcas and  their  product  of  eggs  averages  each  year  four 
times  as  much  per  fowl  as  that  of  any  other  variety. 

I  quote  from  my  book,  "Minorcas,  All  Varieties," 
published  in  1898  regarding  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas, 
as  follows:  "  I  know  of  no  variety  which  promises  so 
great  profit  for  the  investment  as  they,  nor  any  way 
that  money  can  be  invested  with  so  good  prospect  of 
large  returns  as  in  well  bred  fowls  of  this  variety,"  and 
the  experience  of  the  nine  years  since  then  have  more 
than  fulfilled  that  prediction.  Ever  since  that  time  the 
demand  for  genuine  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  has  in- 
creased faster  than  the  supply,  fowls  have  always  been 
sold  quickly  as  soon  as  they  were  offered,  most  of  the 
eggs  have  been  sold  months  before  they  were  laid  and 
some  of  them  more  than  a  year  in  advance.  In  the  case 
of  my  own  fowls,  for  several  years,  all  the  eggs  they 
have  laid  from  the  first  of  March  until  September  have 
been  used  for  hatching  at  $5.00  to  $25.00  per  13,  none 
less  than  $10.00  per  13  before  June  1st.  Many  settings 
have  been  sold  in  June  and  July  at  $12.50  per  13.  T 
know  of  several  other  breeders  who  cannot  nearly  fill 
the  orders  they  receive  at  $10.00  and  $15.00  per  13  eggs. 

The  acme  of  high  prices  was  thought  to  have  been 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  37 

reached  when  I  sold  nineteen  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
for  $3400.00,  receiving  an  even  $1000  for  one  of  the  cocks, 
but  since  that  time  I  have  refused  an  offer  from  the  same 
gentleman  for  twenty-seven  birds  at  the  same  rate  per 
bird  that  he  paid  for  the  nineteen  mentioned,  and  I  made 
another  sale  which  seems  more  remarkable  to  me  when 
I  sold  three  one-day-old  chicks  for  $35.00.  See  engrav- 
ings of  these  chicks,  also  the  $1000.00  cock,  in  this  book 
and  read  what  the  editor  of  Poultry  Success  says  of  the 
above  nientioued  sale  in  issue  of  March,  1905. 

"  'To  the  most  of  our  readers  a  transaction  in  Rose  Comb 
Black  Minorcas  in  which  Mr.  George  H.  Northup  of 
Raceville,  N.  Y.,  was  one  of  the  principals,  is  still  fresh 
in  their  memory.  This  transaction  has  not  been  equaled 
in  the  world  or  in  the  history  of  standard-bred  poultry 
by  any  variety.  How  long  before  it  will  be  equaled  or 
exceeded  we  cannot  tell,  but  there  is  one  thing  certain, 
low  prices  for  stock  of  the  same  character  as  that  bred 
by  Mr.  Northup  are  a  thing  of  the  past.  One  thousand 
dollars  for  a  single  bird  seems  at  first  thought  to  be 
"  foolhardy  "  on  the  part  of  the  purchaser,  but  it  has 
developed  that  the  purchaser  of  Mr.  Northup 's  noted 
Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  has  developed  a  wonderful 
trade  in  this  variety  in  his  own  country  for  the  breed 
and  has  tried  since  to  get  prices  on  more  birds  from  Mr. 
Northup  to  which  he  declined. 

Mr.  Northup  showed  us  a  letter  from  the  same  party 
in  Germany  who  bought  the  19  head  of  Rose  Comb  Black 
Minorcas  at  $3400,  urging  him  to  sell  him  27  head  more 
at  the  same  average  price  per  head,  but  Mr.  Northup 
refused  absolutely  to  name  this  party  any  figure  that 
would  induce  him  to  part  with  the  birds.  At  the  time 
of  our  visit  (September  25),  Mr.  Northup  had  already 
orders  booked  for  altogether  15  sittings  of  eggs  for  hatch- 
ings at  $10  per  setting.  He  informed  us  that  the  demand 
for  his  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas  was  fully  equaled 
to  that  of  the  Rose  Combs,  and  was  at  this  extraordinary 
season  of  the  year,  at  the  time  of  our  visit,  booking  or- 
ders for  Single  Comb  Minorca  eggs  to  be  delivered  in 
the  spring." 

The  remarkable  sales  of  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas 


rj      TCotlL  Ljryn/r*  ioJIxjuS^  //Umrlr 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  39 

have  not  been  confined  to  one  breeder  in  any  sense.  Cal- 
vin Lee,  Hyde  Park,  Mass.,  paid  rne  $10.00  for  thirteen 
Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  eggs  which  were  sent  to  him 
the  last  of  March,  1905.  He  raised  seven  chicks  to  ma- 
turity and  sold  four  of  the  pullets  for  $120.00,  and  there 
was  one  cockerel  in  the  flock  which  was  worth  more  than 
all  the  four  pullets  which  he  sold.  I  bought  from  S.  A. 
Howland,  Granville,  N.  Y.,  his  entire  flock,  thirty-nine 
Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  chicks  (hatched  from,  eggs  I 
sold  him)  at  an  average  price  of  $25.00  each.  Last  Janu- 
ary Lloyd  C.  Mishler  bought  a  fine  Rose  Comb  Black 
Minorca  cock  from  me,  for  which  he  paid  me  $200.00, 
and  before  he  had  owned  the  bird  four  months  he  wrote 
me  that  since  he  had  placed  the  cock  at  the  head  of  a 
fine  pen,  he  had  increased  the  price  of  eggs  from  that 
pen  $10.00  per  setting  above  the  price  he  had  formerly 
sold  them  for,  and  had  sold  enough  eggs  at  the  increased 
price  to  nearly  pay  for  the  bird,  beside  having  a  fine 
flock  •  of  chicks  which  were  sired  by  him,  therefore  he 
considered  that  the  bird  had  fully  paid  for  himself  in 
that  short  time,  with  apparently  plenty  of  time  ahead 
of  him  to  repeat  the  same  record  several  times. 

I  could  go  on  giving  names  of  breeder  after  breeder 
who  are  having  similar  success  with  Rose  Comb  Black 
Minorcas,  but  the  instances  given  are  sufficient  to  prove 
that  they  are  eminently  profitable  to  those  who  breed 
them,  because  there  have  never  yet  been  enough  of  them 
bred  to  supply  one-tenth  of  the  people  who  have  wanted 
them  and  because  their  worth  is  becoming  better  known 
year  after  year  as  they  are  distributed  to  buyers 
throughout  the  country.  It  is  evident  that  they  are 
only  beginning  to  enjoy  the  popularity  which  is  in  store 
for  them.  I  can  say  now  with  greater  confidence  than 
I  said  it  nine  years  ago  that  there  is  no  variety  of  fowls 
which  promise  so  great  profit  for  the  investment  as  Rose 
Comb  Black  Minorcas,  nor  any  way  in  which  money  can 
be  invested  for  the  next  ten  years  with  so  good  prospect 
of  large  returns  as  in  well  bred  fowls  of  this  variety. 


40  MINORCAS  OF 


THE  COMPARATIVE  VALUE  OF  ROSE  AND 
SINGLE  COMB  MINORCAS. 

As  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  were  bred  entirely  from 
Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas,  the  only  difference  be- 
tween them  is  the  one  distinguishing  point,  the  comb. 
In  most  cases,  therefore,  the  choice  between  the  two  va- 
rieties depends  on  the  taste  of  the  breeder.  The  only 
practical  difference  between  the  two  is,  that  the  rose 
comb  being  smaller  and  more  compact  does  not  freeze 
so  easily  as  the  single  comb.  In  fact,  the  Rose  Comb 
Black  Minorcas  can  be  kept  in  any  building  where  any 
variety  can  be  kept  without  freezing  their  combs  and 
wattles,  and  for  this  reason  they  are  more  profitable  for 
practical  purposes  in  the  colder  climates  except  in 
specially  warm  buildings.  In  buildings  or  localities 
where  either  Single  or  Rose  Comb  can  be  kept  in  perfect 
comfort  there  can  be  no  real  choice  between  them. 

In  warm  or  moderate  climates  there  is  nothing  better 
than  the  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas.  On  account  of 
the  scarcity  of  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas,  the  Single 
Combs  can  be  bought  for  much  less  money  than  Rose 
Combs  of  equal  excellence.  Therefore,  in  deciding  be- 
tween the  Rose  and  the  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas 
one  should  consider  the  advantage  and  disadvantages 
of  his  locality  and  the  trade  which  it  is  desirable  for 
him  to  supply. 

The  choice  between  Single  and  Rose  Comb  White  Min- 
orcas depends  on  the  same  conditions  which  are  more 
or  less  favorable  between  the  Rose  and  Single  Comb 
Black  Minorcas  and  can  be  determined  the  same  way. 


FIRST  PRIZE  •  NE.W  YORK    I5?S 
n°ob°  Qeo-h-nor.tmup 

RACEVH-kE-    NY 


"GRACE" 


Rose  Comb  Black   Minorca  Hen;  weight  6  3-4  lbs.;  \ st  Prize 
Winner  at  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York. 


42  MINORCAS  OF 


HOW  TO  SELECT  AND  MATE  MINORCAS. 

Correct  ideas  of  what  is  good  in  the  particular  variety 
one  is  breeding  are  absolutely  indispensable  to  success. 
It  is  so  easy  to  form  an  ideal  which  is  exaggerated  in 
one  point  and  deficient  in  another  unless  one  is  guided 
by  some  set  rule.  The  standard  of  perfection  is  de- 
signed to  furnish  such  rules  for  judges  and  breeders  of 
fowls,  therefore  the  breeder  of  any  variety  ought  to  be- 
come perfectly  familiar  with  the  standard  requirements 
for  the  variety  which  he  intends  to  breed  before  he  un- 
dertakes to  select  birds  for  breeding  or  to  pass  judgment 
on  birds  which  others  have  selected.  Acquaintance  with 
standard  requirements  having  been  gained,  the  amateur 
is  likely  to  expect  too  great  perfection  in  one  point  and 
tolerate  too  little  excellence  in  another  because  he  is  not 
sufficiently  acquainted  with  the  birds  themselves  to  ap- 
ply the  standard  correctly,  therefore  it  is  better  to  de- 
pend on  the  ideas  of  someone  who  has  had  longer  experi- 
ence in  breeding  and  judging  until  better  knowledge  of 
the  variety  can  be  gained  by  breeding  and  caring  for 
them  and  by  comparing  the  best  specimens  in  the  show- 
room. 

Utility  points  ought  never  to  be  overlooked,  and  the 
fact  that  in  Minorcas  the  points  which  count  for  utility 
are  equally  desired  in  the  fancy  is  one  reason  why 
this  breed  has  been  so  well  preserved  and  why  the  im- 
provments  which  have  been  made  in  it  have  counted 
both  for  fancy  and  for  utility.  The  best  Minorca  breed- 
ers have  interested  themselves  so  thoroughly  and 
unitedly  in  forming  the  Minorca  standard,  that  to  breed 
to  the  standard  is  to  follow  the  guide  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful breeders. 

In-breeding  should  always  be  avoided  and  is  one  of 
the  most  important  considerations  in  selecting  breeding 
stock  because  weakness  and  loss  of  vigor,  lower  fertility 


EVERY  COMB    AND  COLOR  43 

and  diminished  egg-production  are  always  among  the 
results  which  follow  it,  and  continued  in-breeding  will 
certainly  undermine  the  foundation  on  which  Minorca 
excellence  has  been  built.  For  an  example  of  this,  note 
the  White  Faced  Black  Spanish  which  are  an  off-shoot 
of  the  Minorcas,  and  would  naturally  have  been  a  use- 
ful variety  had  not  the  intense  in-breeding  for  white 
face  destroyed  them. 

New  blood  should  be  introduced  in  each  generation 
from  some  reliable  source.  Undoubtedly  the  birds,  both 
male  and  female,  which  naturally  conform  nearest  to  the 
Standard  of  Perfection  are  the  best  to  breed  from,  be- 
cause as  a  general  rule,  like  begets  like  and  we  can  ex- 
pect a  larger  per  cent,  of  the  chicks  to  be  fancy  if  the 
parents  are  fancy  than  if  the  reverse  is  true,  but  it  does 
not  follow  that  accidental  defects  have  any  influence 
on  the  offspring.  Injuries  to  combs  and  wattles  by  fight- 
ing or  frosting,  broken  feathers  or  loss  of  feathers  put 
a  bird  out  of  condition  for  the  show-room,  but  have  no 
effect  whatever  on  the  breeding  ability  and  such  defects 
cannot  be  transmitted  to  the  offspring. 

Lineage  is  another  important  consideration,  more  so, 
if  possible,  than  the  fancy  points  of  the  individual  birds 
which  are  selected  to  breed  from.  Breeding  birds  which 
are  naturally  excellent  in  standard  requirements  and 
have  a  long  line  of  ancestors  which  were  strong  in  the 
same  qualities  are  the  best  of  all  to  breed  from.  The 
more  excellent  such  birds  are,  individually,  the  greater 
their  value  as  producers,  and  the  poorest  of  their  off- 
spring are  more  desirable  to  breed  from  than  the  best 
from  a  bap-hazard  mating,  because  the  good  points 
which  they  show  are  strongly  bred  and  much  more  cer- 
tain to  be  reproduced  in  their  offspring.  It  is  impracti- 
cal to  breed  from  a  really  fancy  bird  whose  lineage  is 
known  to  be  inferior,  and  much  more  so  if  it  be  a  male 
than  if  it  be  a  female,  because  the  male  influences  all 
the  chicks  from  his  pen,  while  the  female  controls  none 
of  the  chicks  except  those  from  her  own  eggs. 

It  is  the  best  plan  generally  to  select  and  mate  so  that 
the  same  pen  will  produce  fine  males  and  fine  females, 
though  there  are  cases  where  certain  results  can  be  ob- 


mm: 

rsi-Prize  WoritfsF&.ir 
SlLouis  I9°M 

owned,  by 

"REGENT," 

First  Prize  Rose  Comb  Black  Minorca  Cock  at  World's  Fair, 
Weight  10  lbs.  Regent  was  pronounced  by  poultry  judges  and 
breeders  to  be  an  easy  winner  over  all  the  Minorcas  exhibited,  both 
Rose  and  Single  Comb.  He  attracted  by  far  greater  attention  than 
any  other  of  the  more  than  ten  thousand  birds  on  exhibition. 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  45 

tained  better  by  a  special  mating  for  each  sex,  for  one 
or  two  generations  only,  and  in  Minorca®  this  is  never 
desirable  except  with  reference  to  the  combs  of  the  single 
comb  varieties.  If  the  combs  of  hens  are  too  small  or 
too  stiff,  or  if  the  combs  of  males  average  too  thin  and 
lop  easily,  either  can  be  corrected  by  a  special  mating. 
A  good  mating  to  correct  the  fanlt  in  females  is  to  nse 
the  hens  whose  combs  are  nearest  right  and  a  well-bred 
male  with  large  drooping  comb,  the  thinner  the  better, 
one  which  falls  completely  over  like  a  hen's  comb  if  such 
can  be  obtained,  which  is  correct  in  'outline  and  serra- 
tions. The  female  progeny  of  such  a  mating  can  then 
be  advantageously  mated  with  a  male,  which  has  a  good 
comb  of  medium  thickness  and  would  probably  produce 
excellent  males  and  females.  The  reverse  of  this  plan 
should  be  used  to  correct  the  opposite  extreme,  but  it 
is  obvious  that  special  matings  for  each  sex  followed  in- 
definitely would  necessitate  the  total  loss  of  one  sex  or 
the  other  from  each  mating,  for  all  exhibition  purposes, 
and  would  virtually  separate  fancy  breeding  from  util- 
ity breeding  and  thus  sacrifice  one  of  the  most  valuable 
attributes  of  the  Minorca  breed,  which  is  the  combina- 
tion of  fancy  and  utility  qualities  in  the  same  individu- 
als. 

It  is  impossible  to  have  breeding  birds  of  any  variety 
which  are  absolutely  perfect  in  iall  sections.  The  object 
of  breeding  to  a  standard  is  to  have  an  ideal  for  each 
section  of  the  bird,  so  that  by  breeding  as  near  as  pos- 
sible to  that  ideal  the  flock  is  kept  more  uniform  than 
it  -could  otherwise  be.  Therefore,  when  females  are  se- 
lected for  a  pen,  care  should  be  taken  to  select  birds 
which  are  uniform  in  appearance,  having  similar  faults 
since  they  must  have  faults,  and  excelling  in  the  same 
points  so  that  they  can  all  be  well  mated  by  the  same 
male.  In  selecting  the  male,  care  should  be  taken  that 
he  is  specially  strong  in  the  points  in  which  the  females 
are  weak,  and  that  his  weak  points  are  balanced  up  with 
strong  points  in  the  females,  always  preferring  the  best 
that  can  be  obtained  in  all  sections  of  both  sexes.  The 
idea  that  like  begets  like  is  true  to  some  extent,  but  the 
fact  that  every  chick  has  two  parents  is  just  as  true. 


46  MINORCAS  OF 

No  chick  can  be  exactly  like  both  its  parents  except  in 
the  points  where  they  are  exactly  like  each  other.  Any 
fault  which  is  common  to  both  parents  is  sure  to  be  ex- 
aggerated in  some  of  the  offspring,  and  the  same  is  true 
of  the  tendencies  to  better  type.  The  trained  eye  of  the 
experienced  breeder  can  take  advantage  of  these  things, 
while  the  inexperienced  person  is  likely  to  be  governed 
by  some  fad  of  his  own  imagination  and  may  overlook 
some  of  the  most  valuable  points  in  the  birds  which  he 
rejects  and  fail  to  recognize  some  glaring  defect  in  those 
which  he  most  admires.  For  example,  many  people  seem 
to  have  'the  idea  that  a  good  comb  and  lobes  makes  the 
Minorca,  and  the  more  fastidious  of  'this  class  insist  on 
what  they  consider  absolute  perfection  in  these  two 
points,  for  which  they  are  willing  to  sacrifice  color  or 
shape  in  any  or  all  other  sections.  Others  have  such  a 
horror  of  a  crooked  breast  bone  that  they  would  discard, 
because  of  such  a  defect,  the  best  bird  in  other  respects 
they  ever  owned,  when  a  common  sense  view  of  the  case 
ought  to  convince  anyone  that  the  crooked  breast  bone 
was  caused  by  injury  to  the  bone  when  it  was  in  a  cart- 
illaginous  state  and  probably  was  the  result  of  the  bird 
roosting  when  too  young.  Such  a  defect  being  accidental 
could  not  be  transmitted  to  the  offspring  by  heredity. 
Color,  size,  carriage  of  tail,  etc.,  have  just  as  many'  de- 
votees who,  whether  correct  or  incorrect  in  their  preju- 
dices, are  unqualified  to  mate  for  best  results  until  they 
learn  to  view  the  bird  as  an  entirety  and  appreciate  the 
good  and  the  bad  in  every  section.  This  applies  not  only 
to  Minorcas,  but  to  every  standard  variety  of  fowls.  I 
have  seen  fine  standard  bred  fowls  of  different  varieties 
in  the  hands  of  people  who  gave  them  excellent  care,  but 
who  allowed  the  progeny  to  deteriorate  year  after  year, 
until  they  were  mere  scrubs  for  no  other  reason  than 
the  ignorance  and  prejudices  of  the  person  who  mated 
the  breeding  stock.  I  have  also  seen  quite  inferior  flocks 
of  fowls,  which  had  good  lineage,  bred  up  in  two  gene- 
rations so  well  that  some  of  the  best  prize  winners  in 
strong  competition  were  produced  from  them. 


FIRST    PHILADELPHIA, 
FIR5T   B°ST°H  .  190^ 

"SEOM.NORTHUP 
R(K.EVlU.E-N-y 


R.  G  BLACK  MINORCA  COCKEREL  "DANDY." 

Weight  iYo  lbs.  Winner  of  1st  at  Philadelphia,  1902,  and  at  Boston,  1902  ; 
bred,  owned  and  exhibited  by  George  H.  Northup,  Raceville,  N.  Y.  More  than 
one  of  the  experts,  when  we  inquired  if  any  especially  progressive  birds  seemed 
to  stand  out  among  the  classes  they  had  looked  over,  remarked,  "Have  you  seen 
that  fine  Rose  Comb  Minorca  cockerel  ?"  He  was  a  "star"  among  a  group  of 
good  ones,  with  fine  typical  long  Minorca  body  and  unusual  size,  graceful  car- 
riage and  elegance  of  finish  in  all  sections.  Truly  he  was  a  show  bird  all  over, 
a  splendid  sample  of  this  valuable  new  variety  of  Mr.  Northup's  well-known  old 
strain  of  Minorcas. — F.  L.  Sewell  in  Reliable  Poultry  Journal  for  April, 


4S  MINORCAS  OF 


THE  TIME  OF  YEAR  TO  HATCH  MINORCAS. 

The  best  time  for  hatching  is  subject  to  so  much  varia- 
tion by  circumstances  which  differ  according  to  the  ob- 
ject which  the  breeder  has  in  view,  that  there  is  no  one 
time  of  year  which  is  altogether  better  than  any  other. 
There  are  natural  advantages  to  be  profited  by,  and  nat- 
ural disadvantages  to  be  overcome,  no  matter  what  the 
season  of  the  year. 

The  very  early  spring  hatching  which  has  obtained 
favor  with  many  people  has  the  advantage  of  getting 
the  young  to  their  very  best  at  the  time  of  the  early  fall 
shows.  Early  chicks  are  certainly  best  for  the  early 
shows  and  are  practically  valuable  because  they  are 
ready  to  begin  laying  when  the  earlier  moulters  of  the 
old  flock  stop  laying.  But  the  earliest  hatched  chicks, 
especially  the  pullets,  are  apt  to  begin  laying  so  early 
that  they  have  passed  their  best  condition,  that  is,  their 
best  show  condition,  before  the  winter  shows  begin,  for 
the  very  reason  that  the  temporary  strain  of  early  egg 
production  has  made  it  impossible  for  them  to  present 
the  finest  appearance  that  they  would  be  capable  of, 
under  more  favorable  circumstances.  I  have  seen  too 
many  excellent  pullets  beaten  by  realty  inferior  birds 
which  were  in  prime  condition,  just  because  the  earlier 
ones  had  gone  out  of  condition  by  prolonged  laying. 

Other  disadvantages  are  the  difficulties  which  attend 
the  rearing  of  chicks  in  the  cold  or  damp  weather  of 
early  spring.  Natural  conditions  average  better  for 
hatching  from  the  middle  of  April  to  the  middle  of  May 
in  our  latitude  (43°  north)  and  vary  according  to  cli- 
mate in  other  localities.  But  Minorca  pullets  hatched 
in  July  will  begin  laying  the  following  February  if  they 
are  given  good  care,  and  I  have  had  August-hatched 
Minorcas  which  began  laying  the  following  March. 
These  July  and  August  chicks,  if  given  good  care,  make 
excellent  show  birds  in  their  second  year.    Some  of  the 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  49 

best  cocks  and  hens  I  have  seen  in  our  largest  shows 
have  been  from  July  hatches.  I  sold  two  Single  Comb 
cocks  in  1906  which  were  hatched  in  July,  1905,  for 
$100.00  each.  Major,  the  Rose  Comb  cock  which  won 
second  for  me  at  the  St.  Louis  "World's  Fair,  and  first 
at  Boston  the  following  winter,  was  hatched  in  August. 
I  refused  an  offer  of  $500.00  cash  for  him.  These  late 
hatched  chicks  are  ready  to  begin  laying  early  in  spring 
or  late  winter  when  some  of  the  winter  layers  are  drop- 
ping out  for  a  rest  and  they  help  to  keep  up  a  continual 
supply  of  eggs  through  the  summer  and  fall.  Therefore, 
while  we  find  that  conditions  are  not  usually  as  favor- 
able for  hatching  or  rearing,  very  early  or  very  late, 
the  instances  given  prove  conclusively  that  good  results 
can  be  obtained  from  much  later  hatching  than  many 
people  suppose. 

It  is  not  important  whether  Minorca  chicks  are 
hatched  by  hens  or  incubators,  but  when  hatched  it  is 
very  important  that  they  receive  good  care. 


HATCHING  AND  REARING  MINORCA  CHICKS. 

The  greatest  success  with  any  variety  of  fowls  or  ani- 
mals reaches  back  for  its  good  beginning  to  the  produc- 
tion and  care  of  the  young.  With  parents  well  selected 
and  wisely  mated  the  young  have  much  in  their  favor 
Jbefore  they  begin  to  live,  but  no  matter  how  perfect  the 
mating  from  which  eggs  for  hatching  are  produced,  nor 
how  excellent  the  parent  stock,  the  chicks  need  favor- 
able conditions  from  the  hatching  time  till  they  are  fully 
matured  to  bring  them  to  their  best,  and  no  doubt  many 
chicks,  which  by  nature  are  capable  of  being  developed 
to  the  finest  specimens,  are  rendered  quite  ordinary  or 
even  defective  by  conditions  which  are  unfavorable  dur- 
ing the  process  of  development. 


Rose    Comb  Black  Minorca  Hen    Sold    for  $200.00.     The    highest 

price  ever   paid  for   a  Hen.     She  has   the  long  body  and 

back  which  are  so  much  sought  in  Minorcas. 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  51 

Nature  unhindered  will  do  her  best  work.  I  almost 
said  unhindered  and  unaided  because  the  assistance 
which  nature  most  requires  is  the  removal  of  obstacles 
which  impede  her  operations,  suitable  protection  from 
extremes  of  heat  and  cold,  and  from  birds  and  animals 
of  prey  and  provision  of  nourishing  food  and  pure 
water.  All  this,  however,  requires  continual  vigilance, 
and  I  would  not  be  understood  to  say  that  the  work  of 
making  all  these  natural  conditions  favorable  is  a  small 
undertaking,  because  a  great  deal  of  work  is  required 
from  the  person  who  cares  for  a  large  flock  of  chickens 
and  keeps  all  these  conditions  constantly  favorable  for 
the  entire  flock.  The  great  principle  of  success,  as  I 
have  already  said,  is  to  let  nature  do  the  work  of  devel- 
opment without  hindrance.  The  protection  which  we 
provide  to  keep  chickens  away  from  vermin  may  seem 
to  hinder  nature  by  depriving  chickens  of  full  liberty, 
but  we  can  give  them  all  the  advantage  that  absorri** 
liberty  provides  by  having  their  runs  large  enough  for 
free  exercise  at  all  times  of  their  life.  Small  runs  are 
best  for  very  small  chicks,  as  by  them  they  are  allowed 
sufficient  exercise  and  are  protected  from  much  which 
might  befall  them  if  they  were  allowed  to  stray  far  away 
from  the  brooder.  Exposure  to  dampness  by  running 
in  wet  grass  is  a  great  cause  of  sickness  in  young  chicks, 
and  such  a  chill  as  small  chicks  will  experience  by  too 
long  absence  from  the  brooder  so  weakens  their  con- 
stitution that  comparatively  few  ever  wholly  recover 
from  the  effects  of  it. 

Chicks  kept  in  confinement  even  in  large  grassy  runs 
are  mainly  dependent  for  sustenance  and  growth  on 
food  which  is  given  them.  Chicks  which  grow  rapidly, 
as  the  Minorcas  do,  need  a  large  amount  of  nourishment, 
but  there  is  danger  of  over-feeding,  therefore  they  need 
to  be  fed  often  when  young,  not  less  than  five  times 
daily,  but  should  never  be  given  as  much  as  they  are 
willing  to  eat  at  any  one  time  except  just  before  going 
to  roost  or  into  the  brooder  for  night.  One  of  the 
greatest  causes  of  bowel  trouble  is  over-eating,  which 
comes  of  feeding  too  much  at  a  time  and  waiting  too 
long  between  times  of  feeding,  so  that  the  chicks  be- 


52  MI  NOR  CAS  OF 

come  very  hungry  and  gorge  themselves  when  they  have 
an  opportunity  to  eat  or  are  so  weak  that  they  refuse  food 
altogether.  Over-feeding  at  the  regular  meals  is  differ- 
ent from  the  continual  scratching  and  picking  up  food 
when  running  at  large  with  the  hen,  in  which  case  they 
continue  to  exercise  vigorously  while  they  eat  and  do 
not  force  such  large  quantities  at  once  into  their  di- 
gestive organs  and  thus  acquire  indigestion  and  all  its 
attendant  evils.  This  exercise  of  hunting  for  food  will 
be  induced  by  feeding  chicks  sparingly  at  regular  meals, 
and  may  be  provided  for  when  the  natural  source  is  in- 
sufficient, by  scattering  suitable  seeds  or  cracked  grain 
among  the  grass  of  their  runs  or  in  a  scratching  bed 
which  can  be  easily  provided. 

Chicks  which  are  brooded  by  a  hen  in  coop  should 
have  a  separate  apartment  for  their  feeding  place  to 
which  the  hen  has  no  access.  A  variety  of  foods  is  bet- 
ter for  chick®  than  too  much  of  any  one  kind,  and  it  is 
well  to  remember  that  young  chicks  need  more  of  what 
is  termed  fattening  food  than  adult  fowls  do,  for  it  is 
on  this  class  of  foods  that  they  depend  to  carry  on  the 
processes  of  life  and  growth  and  'to  sustain  the  neces- 
sary animal  heat  in  the  body.  The  smaller  bodies  of 
the  young,  having  more  exposed  surface  in  proportion 
to  their  size  and  less  power  to  withstand  the  effects  of 
cold,  need  better  provision  for  natural  heat  than  the 
fully  grown  matured  fowl.  Right  here  let  me  call  atten- 
tion to  the  fact  that  next  to  over-feeding  there  is  no 
greater  cause  of  bowel  trouble  in  chicks  than  getting 
chilled,  which  immediately  causes  lower  vitality,  weaker 
digestive  ability  and  consequent  indigestion  so  that  the 
same  result  is  arrived  at  by  a  different  route. 

Two  grains  which  should  always  form  a  part  of  the 
food  for  young  chicks  are  cracked  corn  and  rice  graded 
in  size  according  to  the  size  and  age  <of  the  chicks. 
These  two  should  comprise  about  one-half  of  their  grain 
food.  Eolled  oats  and  cracked  wheat  in  about  equal  quan- 
tities and  one-fourth  quantity  of  granulated  milk,  prepared 
for  chick  food,  can  be  added  for  the  other  half  and  all 
thoroughly  mixed  together.  I  have  found  bread  crumbs, 
cracker  crumbs  or  shredded  wheat  biscuit  slightly  moist- 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  53 

ened  with  milk  or  water  and  mixed  with  hard  boiled  egg's 
chopped  fine  an  excellent  soft  food  for  one  meal  each  day. 
Pure  water,  clean  grit  and  charcoal  should  always  be 
within  the  reach  of  chicks  and  fowls.  Cleanliness  of  all 
their  surroundings  is  highly  essential. 

As  chicks  get  older  they  need  not  be  fed  so  frequently 
and  can  be  fed  more  at  a  time  and  coarser  grain.  After 
they  are  four  weeks  old  begin  giving  them  beef  scrap 
and  granulated  milk  in  hoppers  where  it  will  keep  clean 
and  chicks  can  help  themselves.  They  eat  both  with  rel- 
ish. The  granulated  milk  is  a  comparatively  new  food 
for  chickens  and  one  which  I  find  excellent  for  produc- 
ing growth. 


INFLUENCE  OF  COLOR-BREEDING  ON  COLOR  OF 

EGGS. 

The  plumage  color  of  Black  Minorcas  has  been  a  sub- 
ject of  a  great  deal  of  anxiety  on  the  part  of  Minorca 
fanciers,  because  at  one  time  the  particular  kind  of  black 
was  not  regarded  as  nearly  so  important  as  it  has  been 
later.  The  purple  tinge  was  undoubtedly  most  preva- 
lent in  the  earlier  Minorcas,  but  fanciers  have  come  to 
prefer  the  green  sheen  and  to  breed  for  it.  On  this 
point  I  cannot  do  better  than  quote  from  my  earlier 
book,  "Minorcas,  All  Varieties":  "The  beautiful 
brilliant  green  which  is  so  much  sought  can  be  and  has 
been  obtained  by  carefully  breeding  from  such  birds  as 
show  the  most  desirable  color,  but  all  of  the  best  strains 
of  Black  Minorcas  have  a  strong  tendency  to  revert  to 
the  original  purple,  which  appears  mainly  in  what  is 
termed  rainbow  barring.  This  barring  is  considered  an 
objectonable  feature  in  a  strictly  fancy  bird,  but  these 
slight  variations  in  tinge  of  plumage  are  much  more 
easily  controlled  by  the  breeder  than  most  of  the  fancy 


54  MinorcAs  6P 

points  for  which  we  breed,  for  it  seems  that  the  special 
care  of  birds  during  the  periods  of  growth  and  moult 
has  a  very  marked  effect  on  the  peculiar  tints.  It  is 
not  a  new  idea  that  color  of  plumage  comes  from  the 
interior  of  the  bird  and  I  am  convinced,  by  observation, 
that  breeding  for  the  green  creates  a  tendency,  in  the 
hens  so  bred,  to  lay  eggs  with  tinted  shells,  instead  of 
the  clear  white  shells  which  have  been  one  of  the  lead- 
ing characteristics  of  Black  Minorcas.  The  only  way  I 
can  account  for  this  is  that  the  green  in  plumage  indi- 
cates an  increase  of  yellow  pigment,  some  of  which,  not 
unnaturally,  is  communicated  to  the  shell  of  the  egg. 
The  purple  tint  shows  a  predominance  of  blue  pigment, 
which,  applied  to  the  shell,  only  intensifies  its  white- 
ness, the  same  as  the  blue  pigment  used  by  the  laundress 
increases  the  whiteness  of  linen.  It  is  not  an  invari- 
able rule  that  the  peculiar  tint  of  plumage  is  accom- 
panied by  a  similar  tint  in  the  egg  shells,  but  my  atten- 
tion has  been  called  to  the  fact  that  such  a  tendency 
does  exist,  both  by  talks  and  correspondence  I  have  had 
with  other  prominent  Minorca  breeders  and  by  observ- 
ing it  in  a  few  specimens  of  my  own  breeding.  I  ap- 
prove, as  a  fancier,  of  breeding  Minorcas  for  the  green- 
ish sheen  because  the  prevailing  popular  taste  and  the 
Standard  favor  it,  and  because  it  is  very  beautiful.  But 
we  shall  need  at  the  same  time  to  avoid  too  great  a 
diminuition  of  black.  It  is  not  that  less  color  is  desir- 
able, but  that  the  metallic  green  tinge  shall  shine  out 
from  the  apparently  polished  black  surface  of  the  plu- 
mage when  in  such  a  position  that  the  greenish  light 
can  be  reflected.  The  fact  that,  in  another  position,  a 
purple  reflection  is  seen,  does  not  necessarily  diminish 
the  excellence  of  color,  in  fact,  such  is  the  color  most 
desired,  so  that  in  whatever  light  it  is  seen  the  coloring 
is  smooth  and  does  not  appear  in  barring." 

I  am  still  of  the  same  opinion  as  when  I  wrote  the 
above  quotation,  about  nine  years  ago,  but  since  that 
time  a  great  deal  has  been  accomplished  in  breeding 
Black  Minorcas  to  the  green  sheen  and  at  the  'same  time 
avoiding  other  objectionable  conditions  which  seemed 
to  arise  from  such  breeding. 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  55 

We  now  have  the  Minorca  well  bred  to  the  green 
sheen  and  I  believe  that  my  strain  of  Black  Minorcas, 
Eose  and  Single  Comb,  lay  eggs  which  are  as  nniform 
in  size,  color  and  shape  as  any  strain  of  any  variety  of 
hens,  and  I  have  seen  it  demonstrated  time  and  again 
that  Black  Minorcas  are  remarkable  for  the  uniformity 
of  their  eggs.  At  the  Madison  Square  Garden  show  last 
winter  we  had  a  striking  demonstration  of  this.  Includ- 
ing the  breeding  pens  and  display  pens,  I  believe  there 
were  108  Single  Comb  B.  M.  females,  exhibited  by  22 
different  breeders,  birds  which  had  been  bred  and  se- 
lected for  show  purposes.  I  judged  the  class  and  there- 
fore handled  all  except  those  in  the  display  pens.  I  be- 
lieve that  from  the  fancier's  standpoint  they  were  the 
finest  lot  of  show  specimens  that  were  ever  brought  to- 
gether for  competition.  Many  of  these  hens  were  laying 
and  continued  to  lay  through  the  show.  I  spent  most 
of  my  time  near  their  coops  and  did  not  see  any  except 
large  white  eggs  in  the  Minorca  coops.  If  I  had  seen 
any  other  I  would  have  remembered  it  as  I  would  any 
unusual  sight.  Besides,  I  heard  many  expressions  of  ad- 
miration for  the  large  white  eggs  in  the  Minorca  coops 
from  people  who  were  not  accustomed  to  seeing  Min- 
orcas. But  it  is  no  indication  of  impure  blood  to  see  an 
occasional  tinted  egg  from  a  variety  of  fowls  which  habit- 
ually lay  white  eggs,  nor  to  see  light  colored  eggs  from 
a  variety  which  habitually  lay  dark  eggs.  And  I  have 
noticed  that  eggs  from  the  breeds  which  lay  colored 
eggs  vary  more  in  shade  of  color  than  any  Minorca  eggs 
that  I  have  ever  seen,  and  any  observing  person  who 
has  given  attention  to  the  subject  must  have  noticed  the 
same.  I  have  been  called  on  to  judge  exhibits  of  eggs 
in  which  there  were  several  plates  from  each  of  different 
American  and  Asiatic  breeds,  and  no  two  plates  from 
the  same  variety  would  be  the  same  shade  of  color.  I 
have  also  seen  pure  white  eggs  which  were  laid  by  pure 
bred  Plymouth  Bocks  and  pure  bred  Wyandotte  hens 
'and  very  light  colored  eggs  which  were  laid  by  pure 
'Langshan  hens.  I  have  bred  22  varieties  of  standard 
fowls  at  different  times  during  the  thirty  years  that  I 
have  been  actively  interested  in  poultry,  have  made  a 


56  MINORCAS  OF 

specialty  of  Black  Minorcas  for  twenty  years,  and  have 
been  judging  all  varieties  for  more  than  twenty  years, 
consequently  have  kept  in  touch  with  other  breeds  as 
well  as  Minorcas,  and  think  my  knowledge  of  their 
characteristics  is  quite  accurate.  Another  peculiarity 
which  I  have  noticed  is,  that  bringing  two  entirely  dif- 
ferently bred  strains  together  appears  occasionally  to 
interrupt  the  true  breeding  to  color  of  plumage  and  col- 
or of  eggs,  but  the  second  year  of  judicious  mating 
usually  overcomes  it.  I  do  not  know  why  this  happens; 
perhaps  it  comes  from  the  two  different  strains  of  blood 
warring  for  supremacy,  or  from  some  elements  in  the 
'two  having  greater  or  less  affinity  for  each  other.  But 
I  have  never  heard  a  fully  satisfactory  explanation. 


COLOR  AND  DEVELOPMENT  OF  COLOR  IN  BLACK 

MINORCAS. 

It  is  a  source  of  surprise  to  people  who  are  not  fully 
acquainted  with  Black  Minorcas  to  observe  the  color 
-of  the  chicks  when  they  are  first  hatched.  The  Stand- 
ard describes  Black  Minorcas  as  having  black  plumage 
■throughout,  but  when  the  little  chicks  first  emerge  from 
the  shell  most  of  them  show  a  great  deal  of  white  on 
head,  wings  and  breast.  Only  occasionally  one  is  wholly 
'black  when  hatched,  and  they  are  as  likely  as  any  to 
have  poor  color  at  maturity.  This  down  is  followed 
in  the  first  feathering  by  a  varied  mixture  of  black  and 
white  feathers,  more  white  appearing  in  the  plumage 
•of  some  chicks  than  in  others.  When  they  have  grown 
to  the  weight  of  about  two  pounds  each,  the  flock  ap- 
pears to  be  uniform  black  in  color  as  they  run  about 
the  yard,  but  taken  in  the  hand  and  examined  closely, 
there  is  still  some  white  to  be  found  in  the  wings  of 


EVERY  COMB    AND  COLOR  57 

some  of  them.  This  peculiarity  is  perfectly  natural  and 
we  find  it  in  the  very  best  strains  of  Black  Minorcas.  It 
is  just  as  natural  for  them  to  take  on  fully  black  plumage 
when  they  approach  maturity,  but  this,  like  any  other 
feature  of  development,  depends,  next  after  heredity, 
on  the  nutrition  which  they  derive  from  the  food  they 
eat  and  the  air  they  breathe.  It  is  very  noticeable  that 
chicks  which  have  abundance  of  clean,  pure  water, 
fresh  air  and  nourishing  food  develop  steadily  and  per- 
fectly, while  those  which  are  confined  in  coops  too  small, 
poorly  ventilated,  and  consequently  filthy,  neither  grow 
well  or  perfectly,  and  they  soon  get  in  such  a  condition 
that  good  food  is  only  partially  available  to  them  be- 
cause their  system  is  too  much  weakened  to  assimilate 
it  properly,  hence  their  development  is  limited  and  im- 
perfect. This  is  as  plainly  seen  in  plumage  color  as  it 
is  in  size  or  shape,  because  if  the  processes  of  breathing, 
digestion  and  circulation  are  insufficient  so  that  the  ele- 
ments of  nutrition  are  not  perfectly  assimilated  and  car- 
ried freely  to  the  different  parts  of  the  body,  color  pig- 
ment is  not  acquired  in  sufficient  quantities,  nor  is  it 
freely  conveyed  to  the  feathers,  or  the  failure  of  some 
organs  to  perform  their  functions  steadily,  causes  un- 
evenness  of  color  and  lack  of  color  in  proportion  to  the 
lack  or  the  irregularity  of  these  vital  forces.  Where 
the  conditions  have  been  most  unfavorable  we  find  the 
most  white  and  gray  feathers  in  the  plumage  of  Black 
Minorcas,  provided  that  all  which  come  under  compari- 
son are  pure  blooded  and  equally  well  bred.  Of  course 
it  is  not  possible  to  secure  absolutely  perfect  conditions 
at  all  times  for  an  entire  flock,  nor  is  it  possible  to  make 
the  best  conditions  perfectly  uniform  at  all  times, 
therefore  we  must  still  have  some  imperfections  which 
are  due  to  the  causes  mentioned,  but  I  am  certain  that 
the  purple  barring  in  the  plumage  of  Black  Minorcas 
can  be  almost,  if  not  entirely,  done  away  with  by  breed- 
ing from  good  stock  properly  mated,  and  keeping  them 
always  at  'their  best  by  providing  always  the  best  of  care 
and  food  to  promote  constant  development. 

I  once  had  a  striking  example  of  this  when  I  hired 
two  different  persons  to  rear  chicks  for  me  from  eggs 


58  MINORCAS  OP 

produced  from  a  very  fine  pen  of  Black  Minorcas.  As 
both  had  eggs  from  the  same  pen,  there  should  have 
been  no  great  difference  in  the  quality  of  the  chicks, 
especially  in  points  like  color  controlled  by  heredity. 
There  is  no  doubt  but  heredity  does  control  all  points  to 
a  great  extent,  but  the  following  shows  how  the  course 
of  nature  can  be  perverted  after  the  chicks  are  hatched 
and  while  they  are  growing.  In  the  instance  referred 
to  I  gave  one  person  one  hundred  eggs,  the  other  only 
twenty-six.  The  twenty-six  eggs  were  set  about  ten 
days  later  than  the  one  hundred.  All  the  eggs  hatched 
very  well,  but  the  chicks  in  the  larger  flock  soon  began 
dying  off  from  lack  of  care,  till  only  twenty-seven  of 
them  were  left  alive.  Some  were  accidentally  killed 
from  the  smaller  flock,  but  they  were  well  cared  for,  and 
at  four  months  old  twelve  fine  chicks  were  brought  to 
me  as  the  product  of  the  twenty-six  eggs.  Of  these 
twelve  the  pullets  averaged  in  weight  about  four  pounds 
each,  and  the  cockerels  weighed  from  four  to  five  and 
one-half  pounds  each.  The  twenty-seven  chicks  which 
I  received  at  the  same  age,  four  months,  did  not  aver- 
age more  than  three  pounds  each,  cockerels  and  pullets 
together.  This  lot  had  their  tails  and  wing  feathers 
broken  and  mussed  from  being  crowded  in  small  quar- 
ters to  roost,  with  a  large  flock  of  old  fowls,  and  were 
dwarfed  every  way  from  lack  of  nourishment.  I  gave 
both  flocks  the  best  of  care  after  they  were  brought 
home.  The  twelve  which  had  received  good  care  while 
young  kept  on  developing  and  made  large,  strong  birds, 
several  of  them  prize  winners,  and  not  one  of  that  flock 
had  feathers  other  than  black  when  matured.  None  of 
the  other  flock  grew  to  the  usual  size  and  most  of  them 
had  dull  colored  plumage,  and  very  many  of  them  had 
gray  feathers  in  wings  and  tail;  in  fact,  I  had  more  off- 
color  in  those  twenty-seven  chicks  than  I  ever  had  in 
a  flock  of  one  hundred  chicks  before  or  since.  The  im- 
poverished condition  of  their  systems  made  them  un- 
able to  produce  sufficient  coloring  matter  for  their  feath- 
ers, and  the  time  had  passed  when  the  perfect  develop- 
ment of  their  bodies  was  possible.  In  other  words  they 
had  matured  before   development  was  completed.     No 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOK  59 

one  could  have  thought  that  the  two  flocks  were  pro- 
duced from  the  same  pen,  but  such  was  the  case  and  it 
shows  the  importance  of  keeping  chicks  steadily  grow- 
ing from  the  time  they  leave  the  shell  till  they  are  fully 
matured. 

Really,  it  is  the  same  with  birds  and  animals  that  it 
is  in  vegetable  life.  How  often  we  see  a  field  of  corn  all 
from  the  same  variety  and  all  planted  the  same  day, 
most  of  which  is  large  and  thrifty  and  of  intense  dark 
green  color,  producing  large,  fully  developed  ears,  and 
in  the  midst  of  this  luxuriant  growth  an  occasional  row 
or  two  of  small  yellow  stunted  stalks,  having  leaves, 
tassels  and  ears,  but  all  of  such  inferior  size  and  color 
that  the  ordinary  observer  would  hardly  believe  it  to 
be  the  same  variety  of  grain.  The  experienced  agricul- 
turist would  know  at  a  glance  that  the  poorer  plants 
had  been  insufficiently  nourished  by  growing  on  ground 
which  had  been  impoverished  in  some  way,  most  usu- 
ally by  having  two  furrows  turned  away  from  each 
other,  forming  what  is  called  a  dead  furrow.  So  much 
for  variations  which  can  be  overcome  by  good  care  and 
favorable  surroundings. 

But  I  am  perfectly  certain  that  while  we  can  ac- 
complish general  good  results  by  the  various  lines  of 
mating  and  breeding  which  observation  and  experience 
teach  us  to  follow,  we  shall  still  find  some  variations  in 
form  and  color  which  cannot  be  fully  accounted  for  as 
long  as  living  creatures,  animals  or  birds  are  'the  objects 
of  our  work.  Among  the  peculiarities  in  plumage  color 
I  have  noticed  that  bringing  two  well  bred  strains  of 
the  same  breed  together,  in  the  breeding  pen,  in  some 
cases  seem  to  produce  variations  in  the  plumage  color 
of  the  offspring,  for  instance,  two  strains  of  Black  Min- 
orcas  bred  to  fine  green  sheen  by  different  breeders, 
mated  together,  sometimes  produce  entirely  unexpected 
results  in  chicks,  at  least  not  nearly  the  usual  percent- 
age of  their  produce  come  up  to  the  excellence  of  the 
parents.  In  some  such  cases  the  males  have  red  feath- 
ers in  hackels,  wings  and  saddles  which  cannot  be  sat- 
isfactorily accounted  for,  but  suggest  that  the  two  lines 
of  breeding,  which  brought  similar  results  in  the  parent 


60  M1N0KCAS  OF 

strain,  opposed  each  other,  or  carried  the  offspring 
beyond  the  standard  mark.  A  variation  which  is  harder 
to  account  for  and  therefore  more  difficult  to  correct  is 
that  occasionally  feathers  change  in  color  after  being 
fully  grown  and  perfectly  colored.  The  organ  which 
produces  coloring  matter  for  the  feather  may  for  some 
reason  have  ceased  to  perform  its  function,  probably 
from  external  injury  in  some  cases  and  from  disease 
of  the  organ  in  others. 

A  young  hen  which  I  imported  from  England  was 
taken  with  convulsions.  She  would  throw  herself  on 
her  back  and  twist  her  head  around,  flap  her  wings  and 
continued  in  a  very  bad  condition  for  several  weeks. 
Gradually  she  regained  her  usual  health  to  all  appear- 
ances, but  several  of  the  feathers  in  each  wing  had 
turned  white,  but  when  she  moulted  again  her  feathers 
all  came  in  black.  Another  case  was  a  Brown  Leghorn 
cockerel  in  a  fine  flock  of  that  variety,  from  which  I  was 
engaged  by  the  owner  to  select  the  finest  specimens  for 
a  show  at  which  he  wished  to  exhibit.  The  cockerel 
referred  to  was  among  those  which  I  selected,  and  he 
won  first  prize  in  strong  competition,  under  one  of  our 
most  competent  judges.  The  following  February  I  was 
again  engaged  to  select  and  mate  several  breeding  pens 
for  the  same  gentleman  to  breed  from  the  coining  season. 
I  selected  the  same  cockerel  to  head  a  pen  of  Brown  Leg- 
horns and  he  was  then  in  excellent  color  throughout. 
The  following  June,  having  business  in  the  town  where 
these  birds  were  kept,  I  called  on  the  owner  again  and 
was  surprised  that  one  of  the  long  sickle  feathers  in  the 
tail  of  the  Brown  Leghorn  cockerel  which  I  had  so  much 
admired  was  now  nearly  all  white.  I  was  told  that  it 
begun  at  the  end  farthest  from  the  body,  and  had  grad- 
ually changed  till  it  was  now  as  I  saw  it.  The  owner 
said  that  if  he  had  bought  that  cockerel  he  would  have 
thought  that  feather  had  been  colored  before  he  re- 
ceived the  bird  and  the  color  had  faded  or  washed  off, 
but  as  he  had  raised  the  bird  he  knew  that  the  change 
of  color  was  wholly  a  freak  of  nature  or  the  result  of 
some  unknown  cause. 

Two  still  more  remarkable  cases  were  two  fully  ma- 


EVERY  COMB  AXD  COLOR  61 

v. 

tured  cocks  which  I  had  special  reason  to  observe  closely, 
as  I  was  breeding  from  the  first  for  a  special  purpose, 
and  the  other  was  a  bird  which  I  was  counting  on  to 
win  honors  in  the  winter  shows,  so  I  know  there  is  no 
mistake  about  the  unusual  freak  which  I  noticed  in 
each  of  them,  viz:  both  had  moulted  perfectly  black 
throughout  and  plumage  color  was  a  strong  point  in 
each.  One  was  a  bird  which  I  put  in  a  breeding  pen 
tlie  latter  part  of  February.  In  April  I  noticed  a  nar- 
row white  bar  across  one  of  his  tail  feathers.  This  bar 
continued  to  increase  until  it  was  about  two  inches  long. 
Then  it  began  to  decrease  until  it  had  entirely  disap- 
peared and  the  feather  was  all  black  again  before  the 
fall.  The  other  was  my  Rose  Comb  Cock,  Dash,  who 
was  considered  by  all  judges  one  of  the  finest  colored 
Black  Minorcas  they  had  ever  seen.  He  was  hatched 
in  July,  1896,  and  he  won  second  in  Madison  Square 
Garden  in  1898,  and  won  second  again  in  1899  at  the 
same  show.  The  following  fall  he  moulted  in  the  very 
finest  color  of  plumage  throughout,  intense  green  black, 
but  after  I  had  put  him  in  a  pen  to  prepare  him  for  Mad- 
ison Square  Garden  show  I  was  dismayed,  one  day  in 
December,  on  taking  him  in  my  hand  to  find  a  flight 
feather  in  one  of  his  wings,  the  end  of  which  was  tipped 
with  about  two  inches  of  pure  white.  I  thought,  of 
course,  I  could  not  show  him,  but  in  a  few  days  I 
noticed  that  the  feather  was  coming  back  to  its  origi- 
nal color  without  any  treatment  whatever,  and  before 
show  time  it  was  perfectly  black  again.  In  less  than  a 
month  from  the  time  I  first  noticed  the  white  I  showed 
the  bird  at  Madison  Square  Garden,  where  he  won  first 
this  time.  Two  years  later,  1902,  he  won  second  at  Phil- 
adelphia and  second  at  Boston,  and  the  year  follow- 
ing that,  when  in  his  seventh  year,  he  won  third  at 
Boston  and  was  greatly  admired  for  the  brilliancy  of 
his  plumage.  Why  that  feather  changed  from  black  to 
white  and  then  back  from  white  to  black  in  a  period 
of  about  six  weeks  I  do  not  know.  I  have  seen  and  heard 
of  other  similar  cases,  but  none  of  them  have  been  satis- 
factorily explained. 

Anything  which  injures  a  pin-feather  is  likely  to   so 


62  MINORCAS  OF 

disturb  the  coloring  process  that  the  feather,  when 
grown,  will  be  imperfectly  colored,  that  is,  a  naturally 
high  colored  feather  may,  from  such  a  cause,  be  white 
or  partly  white  when  fully  grown.  For  this  reason 
every  precaution  should  be  taken  to  avoid  fighting  and 
all  disturbances  among  the  flocks  at  the  moulting  period 
and  special  care  should  be  taken  to  nourish  fowls  well 
at  that  time. 


FITTING  MINORCAS   FOR  THE   SHOW-ROOM. 

Preparation  for  success  in  showing  ought  to  include 
a  retrospective  view  of  the  ancestry  of  the  birds  on 
which  success  or  failure  is  to  depend.  A  strong  pedi- 
gree, showing  generation  after  generation  of  ancestors 
which  were  excellent  in  all  that  is  desirable,  is  worth 
more  than  all  the  temporary  fitting  and  grooming  that 
can  possibly  be  crowded  into  the  last  few  weeks  before 
show  time.  All  that  has  been  said  about  caring  well 
for  chicks  through  all  stages  of  their  development  forms 
an  important  part  of  fitting  them  for  show.  Careful  pro- 
tection and  good  nourishment  through  their  moulting 
period  is  very  important,  for  a  fowl  cannot  produce  fine 
feathers  from  an  impoverished  body,  and  the  process 
of  producing  feathers  at  all  is  certain  to  be  detrimental 
in  other  ways  unless  there  is  ample  provision  for  the 
new  growth. 

A  while  before  show  time  it  is  a  good  plan  to  sepa- 
rate the  birds  intended  for  show,  in  separate  pens,  to 
avoid  the  danger  of  the  breaking'  of  feathers  and  injur- 
ing of  combs  by  other  fowls.  Thus  penned  separately, 
the  'attendant  can  see  that  each  bird  has  a  suitable  al- 
lowance and  is  not  over-fed  and  can  get  the  birds  accus- 
tomed to  being  handled  so  they  will  not  be  timid  when 
placed  in  the  show  coops.     It  is  desirable  to  have  the 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  6j 

birds  full  of  vigor  and  abundantly  nourished  at  show 
time  so  that  they  can  endure  without  drooping  the  in- 
evitable strain  of  being  closely  confined,  the  journey  to 
and  from  the  shows,  the  brilliantly  lighted  show-room, 
through  the  long  evenings,  when  it  is  fowl  nature  to 
repose  in  darkness,  and  the  constant  passing  of  people 
before  their  coops;  but  in  trying  to  feed  a  fowl  well  we 
must  take  great  care  not  to  over-feed,  especially  when 
fowls  which  have  been  accustomed  to  free  range  are  de- 
prived of  their  usual  opportunity  to  exercise. 
v  It  improves  the  appearance  of  White  Minorcas  to 
wash  them  thoroughly,  but  the  plumage  of  Black  Min- 
orcas should  never  be  washed.  They  ought  always  to 
be  kept  clean  by  keeping  their  houses  and  runs  clean 
and  giving  them  plenty  of  clean  litter.  If  their  plumage 
looks  soiled  or  dusty  a  sponge  or  cloth  dampened  in 
clear  water  and  rubbed  the  smooth  way  of  the  feathers 
so  as  not  to  rumple  the  feathers  or  disconnect  the  web, 
is  the  best  way  to  clean  them.  I  have  seen  the  appear- 
ance of  glossy  black  feathers  very  much  injured  by  the 
use  of  soap  and  water.  Feathers  which  have  been 
mussed  can  be  much  improved  by  placing  on  a  smooth 
surface  and  smoothing  the  web  back  into  place  with  the 
fingers. 

Lice  are  always  pernicious  destroyers  of  health  and 
beauty  of  fowls  and  ought  not  to  be  tolerated  at  any 
time  of  a  fowl's  life.  Especial  vigilance  ought  to  be  ex- 
ercised in  regard  to  them  and  all  kinds  of  vermin 
among  birds  which  have  been  selected  for  show. 
{  Sunflower  seed,  hemp  seed,  flax  seed  and  oil  meal,  fed 
in  small  quantities,  gives  gloss  to  plumage  and  can  be 
thus  used  to  good  advantage  for  a  few  weeks  before 
show  time. 

Long  exposure  to  sun  and  wind  immediately  after 
fowls  have  been  accustomed  to  confinement  in  buildings 
sometimes  causes  the  delicate  skin  to  chap  and  peel 
and  because  of  this  the  delicate  white  lobe  sometimes 
becomes  streaked  with  red  and  irretrievably  ruined.  I 
mention  these  dangers  because  it  is  in  avoiding  them 
that  much  of  the  successful  fitting  for  show  consists. 

Combs  of  male  birds  which  begin  to  weaken  and  bend 


64  MI  NOR  CAS  OF 

or  lop  can  be  strengthened  by  wire  braces  fitted  to  the 
comb  so  as  to  hold  it  erect  and  straight.  The  side  toward 
which  the  comb  bends  should  be  slightly  oiled  with  vas- 
seline  and  rubbed  thoroughly  several  times  daily  to  in- 
crease circulation  of  blood  on  that  side  of  the  comb.  This 
ought  to  be  done  as  soon  as  the  comb  begins  to  bend, 
because  after  it  has  been  bent  longer  it  becomes  more 
confirmed  in  that  shape  and  there  is  greater  difficulty 
in  restoring  it  to  the  natural  position.  One  successful 
exhibitor  told  me  that  he  believed  cocks  caused  their 
large  combs  to  lean  to  one  side  by  habitually  holding 
their  head  under  the  wing  on  the  same  side  when  roost- 
ing at  night,  thus  causing  comb  to  fall  'to  one  side,  and 
lie  said  he  corrected  the  fault  by  sprinkling  cayenne 
pepper  in  the  feathers  on  the  side  where  he  found  each 
particular  cock's  head  at  night,  thus  causing  a  change 
in  the  habitual  position,  with  the  result  that  combs  be- 
came erect  again. 

The  combs  and  wattles  of  hens  can  also  be  improved 
by  manipulaton  with  the  fingers  if  combs  do  not  have 
the  proper  loop  or  fall  gracefully  over  the  head  or  if 
wattles  have  wrinkles  or  folds. 

As  .soon  as  fowls  are  selected  the  legs  should  be  ex- 
amined, and  if  there  is  any  appearance  of  scales  or 
roughness  they  should  be  thoroughly  rubbed  with  vas- 
eline and  afterwards  kept  clean.  But  in  using  any 
kind  of  oil  on  combs,  faces  or  legs  great  care  should  be 
taken  that  no  oil  is  allowed  to  touch  the  feathers,  as  it 
will  injure  them  more  than  it  will  improve  unfeathered 
portions  unless  great  care  is  exercised. 

A  good  tonic  to  give  fowls  in  the  drinking  water  is 
made  as  follows:  Mix  two  gallons  of  water,  one  gill 
sulphuric  acid,  one-half  ounce  sulphate  of  quinine,  four 
ounces  cayenne  pepper  and  one  pound  sulphate  of  iron. 
This  must  be  kept  in  a  bottle  or  jug  and  should  be  thor- 
oughly shaken  every  time  it  is  used.  One  tablespoonful 
should  be  thoroughly  mixed  with  two  quarts  of  drink- 
ing water.  Just  before  putting  the  birds  in  the  show 
pen  their  combs,  faces,  lobes,  wattles  and  feet  should 
be  thoroughly  washed  and  dried. 

Before  closing  let  me   call  your  attention  again  to 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  65 

the  chapter  on  color  development  in  which  there  is  much 
which  is  very  essential  to  successful  exhibiting. 

Remember  the  best  care  cannot  correct  the  faults  of 
poor  breeding  or  hereditary  deficiencies,  but  the  best 
bred  ,Minorcas  of  the  finest  type,  if  .neglected  or  badly 
managed,  may  be  defeated  in  the  show  by  an  inferior 
bird  which  has  had  better  care. 


HISTORY   OF  SINGLE  COMB  WHITE  MINORCAS. 

The  history  of  White  Minorcas  ,probably  extends  back 
much  farther  than  my  knowledge  of  them.  I  know  that 
they  were  being  bred  in  England  about  thirty  years 
ago  and  the  particular  strain  that  I  know  of  came  from 
sports  of  the  Black  Minorcas.  They  were  said  to  be  like 
the  Black  Minorcas  of  England  at  that  time,  except  in 
color,  and  were  considered  equal  to  the  Blacks  for  prac- 
tical purposes.  But  they  were  not  so  much  bred  in  Eng- 
land as  the  Blacks  and  the  reason  ascribed  for  this  was 
that  breeders  found  it  more  difficult  to  care  for  them 
properly  and  keep  them  looking  clean  in  their  small 
runs  and  smoky  atmosphere. 

White  Minorcas  were  first  brought  to  America  by 
Francis  Mortimer  of  Pottsville,  Pa.,  in  1885  and  1886, 
and  they  were  bred  and  advertised  by  him  quite  exten- 
sively for  a  short  tine.  They  were  also  bred  in  the 
Niagara  Poultry  Yards  about  that  time.  C.  R.  De  Hart 
took  them  up  soon  after  they  were  first  imported  to 
America  and  became  one  of  the  leading  breeders  of 
them.  Later,  he  sold  his  entire  stock  to  0.  W.  Jerome 
&  Company,  who  for  years  were  the  leading  breeders 
and  exhibitors  of  this  variety,  winning  many  important 
prizes  in  Madison  Square  Garden  and  other  leading 
shows.    The  Jerome  White  Minorcas  are  now  owned  by 


Single  Comb  White  Minorca  Cock. 

From  Poitltry  Advocate. 


EVERY  COMB    AND   COLO  A'  67 

Mr.  William  Glasgow,  whose  late  wife  was  a  member 
of  the  firm  of  C.  W.  Jerome  &  Company,  and  well  known 
as  a  very  estimable  lady  and  a  true  fancier. 

It  is  gratifying  to  see  that  quite  a  number  of  new 
fanciers  are  taking  up  White  Minorcas  now  and  are 
putting  much  enthusiasm  and  skill  into  the  work  of 
breeding  them  up  to  their  best.  I  know  they  will  find 
that  they  have  a  good  foundation  to  build  on,  in  a  breed 
which  has  had  its  best  qualities  well  preserved,  and  I 
am  perfectly  sure  of  grand  success1  for  those  who  per- 
sist in  keeping  them  at  the  front,  because  of  the  confi- 
dence I  have  in  the  genuine  Minorca,  to  take  and  hold 
the  high  place  which  is  its  inherent  right. 


This  is  an  excellent  variety  of  fowls  which  I  am  sure 
would  be  much  more  bred  if  their  good  qualities  were 
better  known.  Everything  which  has  been  said  in  the 
foregoing  chapters  of  this  book  of  the  characteristics 
of  Black  Minorcas  applies  equally  well  to  White  Min- 
orcas, except  the  advantages  which  I  believe  accom- 
pany or  are  derived  from  the  black  plumage.  Black 
plumage  affords  a  warmer  covering  and  is  generally 
supposed  to  indicate  greater  power  of  endurance  and 
vigor  than  plumage  of  any  other  color.  The  standard 
weights  of  White  Minorcas  are  8  pounds  for  cock,  6^2 
pounds  for  hen,  6V2  pounds  for  cockerel,  and  5%  pounds 
for  pullet,  which  is  one  pound  per  bird  lighter  than  for 
the  Single  Comb  Black,  but  I  have  seen  many  White 
Minorcas  in  the  show  room  which  were  equal  in  weight 
to  the  standard  requirements  for  the  Blacks.  The 
plumage  and  beaks  of  White  Minorcas  are  white  and 
legs  pinkish  white.    Their  owners  always  speak  of  them 


68  MINORCAS  OF 

in  the  highest  terms  of  praise  as  excellent  in  all  points 
of  usefulness  and  a  very  satisfactory  variety  to  breed. 
I  have  noticed  that  breeders  who  have  once  taken  them 
up  have  bred  them  for  many  years  and  I  am  quite  sure 
that  if  breeders  would  make  it  a  point  to  produce  more 
of  them  and  advertise  them  thoroughly  so  as  to  call  atten- 
tion to  their  good  qualities  the  White  Minorcas 
would  find  much  greater  popularity  than  they  have 
ever  enjoyed.  'There  are  a  very  great  number  of 
poultry-loving  people  who  are  so  prejudiced  in  favor 
of  White  fowls  that  they  can  see  no  beauty  in  any  other 
color  and  for  them  to  be  made  acquainted  with  the  in- 
trinsic value  of  such  a  variety  of  fowls  as  White  Min- 
orcas is  to  open  up  a  market  which  will  tax  every  breeder 
of  that  variety  to  his  utmost  capacity  to  supply  it,  only 
to  see  that  more  and  more  are  needed  faster  than  the 
number  can  be  increased.  Truly  White  Minorcas'  in- 
terests have  suffered  more  from  lack  of  competition 
among  the  breeders  than  from  any  other  cause. 

Some  very  excellent  fanciers  have  bred  White  Min- 
orcas and  some  of  them  are  still  interested  in  them,  so 
it  is  not  necessary  to  look  to  any  other  country  to  get 
better  stock  than  can  be  had  here  in  America.  The 
quality  of  our  White  Minorcas  is  good,  but  they,  are 
deficient  in  numbers.  Hence  I  believe  their  destiny  lies 
in  the  hands  of  those  who  are  now  breeding  them. 


ROSE   COMB   WHITE  MINORCAS. 

This  variety  is  really  in  its  infancy  now,  not  yet  ad- 
mitted to  the  Standard.  A  few  specimens  have  been 
shown  from  time  to  time  for  a  few  years,  but  it  has  been 
seldom  that  more  than  one  or  two  have  been  seen  on 
exhibition  at  the  same  time,  and  most   of  them  have 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  69 

shown  unmistakable  evidence  of  other  than  pure  Min- 
orca blood.  During  the  last  two  years  I  have  seen  a 
marked  improvement  in  the  specimens  which  have  been 
exhibited. 

G-.  A.  Clark  of  Seymour,  Ind.,  breeds  more  Rose  Comb 
White  Minorcas  than  anyone  else  I  know,  and  has  shown 
some  'of  the  very  best  specimens  which  it  has  been  my 
pleasure  to  handle  in  the  shows,  where  I  have  judged. 
Knowing  him  to  be  a  true  fancier  and  a  man  whose 
statements  can  be  depended  on,  I  have  asked  him  to 
write  an  article  on  Eose  Comb  White  Minorcas  for  this 
book.  He  has  done  so  iu  an  interesting  and  instructive 
way,  which  I  am  sure  readers  will  appreciate.  Mr.  Clark 
has  also  kindly  loaned  me  a  cut  of  a  fine  Rose  Comb 
White  Minorca  cockerel  which  appears  in  this  book. 


ROSE  COMB  WHITE  MINORCAS. 

BY  G.  A.   CLARK,  SEYMOUR,  IND. 

My  first  experience  with  the  Rose  Comb  White  Min- 
orcas was  the  purchase  of  a  pen.  of  birds  from  a  party 
who  claimed  they  were  bred  from  sports  of  the  Rose 
Comb  Black  Minorcas.  They  were  not  very  good  speci- 
mens, but  fair  in  several  points.  The  first  chicks  I  raised 
from  this  pen  were  mixed  up  in  shape  and  color  and 
comb  pretty  bad,  as  the  progeny  of  any  new  variety 
would  have  been,  and  among  them  I  was  able  to  select 
only  one  cockerel  and  one  pullet  that  was  good.  The 
cockerel  was  a  nice  white  in  color,  good  comb  and  size. 
This  cockerel  I  mated  with  two  single  comb  White  Min- 
orca hens.  These  two  hens  were  selected  for  excellence 
in  all  points  except  comlb.  The  result  of  this  mating 
was  tolerably  good  and  from  the  chicks  I  got  one  cock- 


First  Mw  CocKerel 

Madison  Square  (|arden 

New  York    l*C7 


Rose  Comb  White  Minorca  Cockerel. 
Compliments  of  G.  A.    CLARK. 


EVERY  COME   AND  COLOE  ?l 

erel  that  was  satisfactory.  This  cockerel  I  mated  with 
the  good  pullet  above  referred  to,  but  now  a  hen.  This 
mating  produced  some  chicks,  good  in  both  comb  and 
color  and  shape.  The  original  pen  that  I  had  bought  I 
disposed  of,  as  they  produced  a  majority  of  stock  small 
and  off  in  color.  They  also  laid  an  egg  much  smaller 
than  the  regular  Minorca  egg. 

From  the  two  matings  I  now  had  I  selected  the  best 
for  breeders  and  along  these  two  lines  I  am  still  breed- 
ing them  with  results  that  are  satisfactory.  From  104 
pedigreed  chicks  this  }Tear  only  eight  were  culled  out 
for  defects,  and  the  defective  points  were  single  combs 
and  black  feathers.  From  the  remaining  youngsters  I 
will  be  able  to  select  some  good  breeders,  as  they  are 
now  of  good  size  and  look  extra  promising. 

I  might  mention  that  I  dipped  again  into  the  Single 
Comb  White  Minorca  blood  by  a  mating  of  two  hens 
to  a  Eose  Comb  White  Minorca  cockerel  for  a  special 
purpose.  This  blood  will  not  be  infused  into  the  other 
stock  until  the  desired  results  are  accomplished  and 
pro!  ably  not  then  if  the  first  strain  produce  what  we 
want  by  the  careful  selection  and  mating  we  are  using. 

Our  test  hens  now  lay  an  egg  very  good  in  size  and 
a  nice  white  shell. 

As  to  weight,  we  have  one  male  weighing  eight  pounds 
and  one  hen  nearly  eight.  These  are  the  largest  two 
specimens  we  Lave.  Several  others  are  good  and  com- 
pare fa\  orably  with  the  usual  lot  of  Minorcas. 

The  most  difficult  work  in  obtaining  this  new  variety 
has  been  accomplished.  The  pure  white  lobes,  red  eyes, 
white  legs  and  beaks  are  firmly  established  in  them. 
This  year  will  see  rapid  advancement  towards  their  per- 
fection and  the  people  who  want  a  white  fowl  that  lays 
a  laree  white  egg  and  lots  of  them  will  find  the  very 
fowl  to  suit  their  fancy  in  this  last  addition  to  the  Min- 
orcas—the  EOSE  COMB  WHITE  MINOECAS. 


72  MINORCAS  OF 


BUFF  MINORCAS  MOTTLED  MINORCAS  AND  BAR- 
RED MINORCAS. 

The  latest  varieties  of  Minorcas  which  have  been 
spoken  of  are  "  Buff  "  "  Mottled  "  and  "  Barred."  I  can- 
not say  that  they  are  varieties  because  as  such  they  have 
not  hatched  yet.  When  it  can  be  said  that  such  varieties 
of  Minorcas  actually  do  exist  they  will  need  man\  years  of 
brooding  before  they  can  be  depended  on  to  breed  true  to 
the  characteristics  of  genuine.  The  mottled  variety  is  be- 
ing produced  by  crossing  Black  Minorcas  and  White  Min- 
orcas together.  No  doubt  such  a  variety  can  be  produced 
in  that  way  if  the  man  who  has  undertaken  it  is  adapted 
to  the  work  and  has  patience  to  pursue  it  for  the  many 
years  that  will  be  necessary  to  establish  a  uniform  type  in 
the  mottled  coloring,  and  preserve  the  natural  excellence 
and  the  true  Minorca  type  in  size  and  shape.  Cross-breed- 
ing with  other  varieties  cannot  be  tolerated  by  any  true 
Minorca  fancier.  Its  effect  will  'be  just  as  lasting  as  the 
variety  which  is  produced  by  it.  Of  Buff  Minorcas  all  that 
I  can  say  of  them  from  personal  obsservation  is  that  they 
are  falsely  named,  counterfeits  and  can  safely  be  "  lei 
alone." 

The  only  Barred  Minorcas  I  ever  saw  were  the  result  of 
a  mixture  of  Barred  Plymouth  Rocks,  Scotch  Grays  and 
Black  Minorcas.  Of  course  they  were  a  mongrel  flock. 
They  had  fairly  good  Minorca  heads,  smutty  gray  plum- 
age, with  irregular  barring  and  there  was  great  variation 
in  shape.  They  laid  e>g;o;»  of  all  shades  of  color  from  white 
to  dark  brown.  If  the  demand  for  Plymouth  Rocks  or 
Scotch  Grays  had  been  such  as  to  have  made  either  of  them 
as  profitable  to  sell  as  Minorcas,  undoubtedly  these  fowls 
would  have  been  called  either  Lop-combed  White  Eared 
Rocks  or  White  Eared  Lop-combed  Grays.  Either  name 
certainly  would  have  been  as  suitable  as  Barred  Minorcas. 

Recently  I  have  received  information  from  different 
sources  that  there  has  been  an  attempt  made  in  Germany  to 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


n 


create  Barred  Minorcas,  but  I  have  not  seen  any  speci- 
men of  this  foreign  product.  Though  I  understand  that  a 
few  have  been  brought  to  our  Pacific  Coast,  I  hope  the 
breeder  who  has  taken  up  this  new  variety  in  America  will 
control  his  product  until  he  is  sure  that  his  Barred  Min- 
orcas will  be  a  credit  to  the  name  they  bear. 


NEARLY  AN   IDEAL   HEAD  OF  S.   C  B.  M.  PULLET. 

A  Philadelphia  and  Boston  Winner. 

Bred,  Owned   and   Exhibited  by   Rowland  Story. 


?-l  A/hVOA'CJs  OF 

REGARDING  THE  ADVERTISEMENTS  IN  THIS  BOOK 

It  is  with  pleasure  that  I  recommend  the  individuals  and  firms  whose  ad- 
vertisements appear  in  this  book  and  I  do  so  with  confidence  that  my  readers 
who  patronize  them  will  find  them  courteous  and  reliable  because  I  have  offered 
advertising  space  only  to  those  who,  [  have  reason  to  believe,  are  careful  to  ful 
fil  all  business  obligations  honestly  and  promptly,  and  who  are  prepared  to  supply 
their  patrons  with  excellent  quality  of  everything  they  advertise. 

In  writing  these  advertisers  you  will  confer  a    favor  on  them  as    well  as  my- 
self by  mentioning  that  you  saw  their  advertisements  in  this  book. 


EVkkY  COhfB   AXD  COLOR 


MjNORCAS 

Marvelous  layers H  Jaiile  yVhite  Egg^. 

Madison  Square  garden,  tm  Vorh, 
(hicago,  tfagerstown,  St.  Louis, 
Indianapolis,  Detroit,  Louisville, 
Cincinnati «~  Otli?r  %t  Ihows. 

I  Stock  Selected «>  Uyinj  »I«E5  Exhibition  Qualities 

"EHi  For  Hatching  guaranteed 

(f.^dlapk,    §eyinoup,  Ind. 


76 


MINORCAS  OF 


!  WHATGLEN    FARM  1 

to  m 

^  BREEDERS   OF 

to  Single  Comb  Black 

to 

jjj  Minorcas     Exclusively 

to 


to 

to 

to 
to 

id/ 
to 
to 
ito 
(1/ 


11/ 

ito 
to 
to 
to 
to 
to 
to 
to 
to 
to 
to 


* 
« 

« 

m 
m 
m 

Winners     at     Madison     Square     Garden,      1906- 1907.      ff\ 
Boston,    1907.  ff\ 

Address,  JOHN  McGRANN,  Prop.     '{J 

Pres.   American    Black  Minorca  Club,  9\ 

P.O.  Box  417,  Lancaster,  Pa.      'J| 


WINNER  <f  2«»PHKfi  A  <  '■',  K  <v'!  5MRf  W.Pr.IW.'A1  YoRK- 1906  • 

.I'I'.i.'K  -l:K.  J     '.'.l'  .Wr;''.;ri  'i  i  i.  4WlH,l.MK.A5T£R-M 


V?  5-"  &  «;  «^  fc  S;  S;  Z~  &  C:  S;  C'  SL:  &  £;  &  ^j  ^  t  ^-  fc  ^;  fc  & 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


74 


HAVE  YOU  SEEN   IT 


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POULTRY  PAY 


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Profitable  egg  farming. 

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Poultry  houses. 

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The  price  of  this  book  is  one  dollar  post  paid  and  is  sold  on 
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To  those  who  order  direct  from  this  ad.  we  will  give  one  year 
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INLAND  POULTRY  JOURNAL  CO., 

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7» 


MI  NOR  CAS  OF 


<*  BLACK  MINORCAS^ 

OF  THE  HIGHEST  STANDARD  OF  EXCEL- 
LENCE,   BRED    FROM    IMPORTED    STOCK. 

SATISFACTION  GUARANTEED. 


HON.  JOS.   P.  HILLDORFER, 


IV    HIGH    CLASS 


Black  ninorcas, 
Buff    Cochin     Bantams, 
English  bull  and 
Collie  Dogs 

English   Bull   Dog    at    Stud    Teddy   II., 

Reg.    82190. 

Collie    Dogs    at    Stud    Charlie    Clinker, 

Reg.  70259. 

Collie       Dogs       at       Stud         Westfield  , 

Reg.  512SS. 

Chester    Ave., 

ALLEGHANY,  PA 

Winners  of  14  Silver  Cups. 

Vice      President    American    Black      Minorca 

Club. 


LOOK    UP, 


HiJIdorfer's  Champion   Record 

of  Jumbo  Black  Minorcas 


Have  shown  at  more  National  shows  than  any  other  breeder  in  the  United 
States.  Winners  at  Pittsburg,  Cleveland,  Pan-American,  Philadelphia,  Hagars- 
town,  Md.,  Johnstown,  N.  V.,  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York,  and  Chicago 
Shows,  also  St.  Louis,  1904,  and  at  Boston,    1905. 

Pronounced  by  the  Judges  that  my  birds  are  the  finest  strain  of  Black  Minorcas 
in  this  country  to  date. 

Drevenstedt,  Burgott,  Keller,  Hughes,  Pierce,  Northup,  Nichols,  Butterfield,  Mc- 
Clave,  Oke  and  Rigg.     These  are  the  Judges. 

Compare  my  winnings  to  any  other  breeder  in  this  country  at  Pittsburg,  Cleve- 
land, Pan-American,  Philadelphia,  Hagarstown,  Johnstown,  N.  Y.,  Chicago,  Madi 
son  Square  Garden,  St.  Louis  World's  Fair  and  Boston. 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


/9 


The  Great   World's  Fair, 


St.  Louis,    1904,  also    at 
BOSTON    SHOW,     1903. 


M.LEGHENY   PA. 


HILLDORFER'S 

JUMBO 
BLACK 


won  more  prizes  than 
any  other  eight  exhibitors 
of  iViinoicas  at  these  two 
shows.  They  have  won 
more  prizes  at  the  Na- 
tional Shows  than  those 
of  any  other  breeders  of 
Black  Minorcas  in  this 
country  to  dale. 


Won  at  the  Largest  Show  in  the  World. 

At  St.  Louis,  1904.  Two  Firsts  ;  two  Seconds;  one  Third;  three  Fourths  ;  one 
Fifth,  all  on  Black  Minorcas. 

At  the  Club  Meeting,  Boston,  January  17,  1905.  Two  Firsts  ;  three  Seconds  ; 
three  Thirds  ;   two  Fourths  ;  one  Fifth.     All  on  Black  Minorcas. 

Also  winner  of  Four  Silver  Cups  at  this  show  on  my  birds.  All  on  Black 
Minorcas. 

WON    AT    THE  LARGEST   SHOW    IN  THE   WORLD. 

My  breeding  pens,  1905,  will  have  my  birds  in  them  that  won  all  my  prizes  for 
me.  We  never  sell  a  Prize  Winner,  keep  them  for  eggs  for  our  patrons.  My  pens 
will  be  headed  by  the  Cocks  and  the  best  Cockerels  in  this  country  to  date. 

Will  mate  up  12  Breeding  Pens  for  my  Egg  Trade. 

Have  won  14  Cups,  100  Specials  from  1900  to  1905.  World's  Fair  and  Boston 
mating  eggs  will  be  $4.00  per  sitting;  2  sittings  for  $7.00,  and  3  sittings  for  $10.00  ; 
he  run  of  the  pens,  #3.00  sitting,  2  sittings  for  $5.00. 

ADDRESS 

HON.  JOS.  P.  HILLDORFER,  Chester  Ave.,   Alleghany,  Pa. 


8o 


MI  NO  RC AS  OF 


P  O  U  L  T  R  V 

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«£      j«    ^t    ^     Edited  by  MILLER  PURVIS     ^      j*      J*      ^e 


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EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR 


Canadian  Poultry  Review 

The  people's  popular  poultry  paper.  Full  of  bright, 
instructive,  interesting  matter  and  engravings.  All 
poultry,  nothing  but  poultry;  30th  year  of  publication. 

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sample:    free. 

Address,  TORONTO,  ONTARIO,  CANADA. 

Rose  Comb  Minorcas,  Black,  White  and  WottBed. 

A  Breeder  since  1S93.    Winners  in  Show  Room  and  Egg  Record. 

CHARLES   K.  RTSLEY,     Silver  Lane,  Conn. 


SINGLE  COMB  BLACK    MINORCAS. 

The  Great  Egg  Producing  machines.  Winners  of  Leading  shows  in  state. 

E    M.  &   E:  A.  OLDER, 
r  r.  1  Carthage,  South  Dakota. 

C.   L.   SANBORN 

, Breeder  of ] 

Jt    jt     SINGLE    COMB    BLACK     MINORCAS      j*    <* 

MEMBER  OF  AMERICAN   BLACK  MINORCA  CLUB,  GAINES' ILLE,  TEX. 

ROSE  AND  SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS 

NORTHUP'S    STRAIN, 

winners  at  Montgomery,   Birmingham  and  other  shows,  bred  lor  beauty,  new  standard 
weight,  and  great  laying  qualities.    Eggs  $2.00  per  15  eggs.    Stock  for  sale. 

MRS.  J    R.'McNAIR,    Ozark,  Ala, 


MEMBER   A.  B.  M.  CET7B. 

BREEDER    AND    EXHIBITOR    OF     HIGH     CLASS     S.  C.   B-    MINORCAS. 

My   Birds  are  now  (1907)   Holdingfthe  Colorado  StateXhampionship  Cup. 

R.  F.   D.'NO.   4:  ALCOTT  STATION,   DENVER,   COLO. 


82 


MINORCAS  OF 


-SINGLE  COMB- 


BLACK    MINORCAS 


ONLY 


ARLINGTON  STRAIN 

Great  Layers  and  Show  Winners 

Breeding  and  Exhibition  Birds,  Male 
and  Female,    for   Sale   at  all   Times 


ROWLAND  STORY 

187  Arlington  Ave.,  BROOKLYN,  N.  Y. 

Judge  of  Minorcas  all  Varieties. 

SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS  FOR  SALE. 

Old  and  young  birds.    Northup  and  Treathaway  Strains. 

Rev.  Geo.  W.  Ferris,  Maiden,  N.  Y. 


KENTUCKY'S   BEST 

Single   an  1   Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  are  bred  by 

HENRY  L.  MENGES,  1723  West  St.  Catherine  St.,   Louisville,  Ky.,    and    President 


Ana.  B.  M.  Club  for  Kentucky. 


BREEDERS'  CARD  FOR  MINORCAS  ALL  VARIETIES. 

SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS,  full  Northup  strain,  from  the  best  stock 
obtainable.    Stock,  eggs  and  chix  for  sale  in  season.    Write  for  bargains. 

PROF.    A.    W.     ROWELL,    Empire     Poultry    Farm,    South     Atlanta,    Ga. 


SINGLE  AND  ROSE   COMB  BLACK    AND    ROSE    COMB 
WHITE  MINORCAS. 

Write  your  wants.  W.  W.  WHITON,  Wakeman,  Ohio. 

BEATTIE'S  S.  C.  BLACK  MINORCAS  PURE  BRED. 

Stock  of  high  quality,    won    15  blue  ribbons  at  our    leading  shows.    Great  laying  strain- 
Farm  raised  eggs  $  I  per  13.    Satisfaction   guaranteed. 

JAMES  BEATTIE,  So.    Hadley,  Falls,    Mass. 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR  83 

THE  BEST  POULTRY  PAPER 

is  the  one  which  gives  its  readers  the  most  practical  and  valuable  instruction — 
which  caters  to  and  supplies  them  with  thoroughly  dependable  and  timely  informa- 
tion upon  all  subjects  in  which  they  are  interested,  and  which  also  protects  them 
from  advertising  fakirs  and  from  being  imposed  upon  by  exploiters  of  valueless 
schemes   and  theories.       Poultrymen  who  know,  willingly  admit  that 

FARM-POULTRY 

is,  in  these  essential  features,  the  very  best  of  the  good  ones.  Not  only  are  its  teach- 
ings absolutely  truthful  in  all  problems  pertaining  to  Natural  and  Artificial  Incuba- 
tion, Feed'ng, Rearing,  Laying,  Killing,  Dressing,  Marketing,  etc.  etc.,  but  it  is  the 
paper  which  publishes  show  awards  in  full,  while  others  withhold  this  news 
from  their  readers  by  discriminating  in  favor  of  their  advertisers.  FARM  = 
POULTRY  is  published  twice  a  month,  it  and  15th,  and  costs  only  50  cents  a 
year.  Established  1S89.  It  is  still  conducting  that  great  series  of  "Lessons  in 
Poultry  Keeping"  which  is  the  favorable  talk  of  the  poultry  world.  Let  us  send 
you  a  sample  copy  free,  and  ask  us  about  our  great  one  dollar  combination  offer  of 
the  paper  one  year  and  two  complete  160-page  compilations  of  the  "Lessons  in 
Poultry  Keeping"  which  the  best  Agricultural  Colleges  use  as  text  books,  and 
which  are  praised  to  the  highest  by  all  expert  poultry  instructors  and  authorities. 
Drop  us  a  postal  reqirest  for  a  sample  copy  of  FARM-POULTRY  — now. 

FARM-POULTRY  PUB-    CO.  BOSTON,  MASS. 


TWO     OF     THE    BEST    BREEDS    ON    EARTH. 
S.   C.  B.  Minorcas  and  S.    C.  B.   Orpingtons. 

I  have  selected  these  two  breeds  after  twenty  years  of  experience  in 
poultry  raising.  The  best  is  none  too  good  for  me.  I  buy  the  best, 
first,  last  and  all  the  time,  hence  sell  nothing  but  the  best.  Stock  and 
eggs  of  these  two  breeds  for  sale  in  season.  If  the  best  is  what  you 
want,   write  to    me,    the  price    is    right,    and   satisfaction    guaranteed. 

DR.    N.    O.    MINEAR,   Room    15  Cotwald  BIdg.,    Springfield,    Ohio. 

F.  J.  EYSAMAN  HEUVELTON.     N.    Y., 

St.  Lawrence  County. 
MAPLE  GROVE 

S-  C.   BLACK   MINORCA 

-^TPOULTRY  YARDS^x^ 

Elegant  Stock  that  Wins,— Write  for  Prices.  Eggs  $2.00  tol$4.00 


MINORCAS  OF 


m 


£  /North up  Strain 

(f)  Single  and  Rose  Comb.           Bred  for  Size,   Shape,  \$/ 

•'■  andLaying  qualities.    Eggs  for  hatching  and    stock  \w 

il;  for  sale  the  year  round.  •?• 


* 


BLACK  MINORCAS 


fo 


to 


%  HOSE  COM'B  *RHODE  * 

$  ISLAJVD  *REDS  J 

*  * 

'"  Bred  in  lines.      Have  the   Size,    Color  and   Shape.  W 

y-  A  good  fowl  for  all    purposes.      Very   prolific  lay-  -J- 

f*\  ers.      Mature    early    as    broilers.      Make    ideal   as  »L 

/|\  broilers.       Make  ideal    mothers  and  raise    a  larger  \^f 

'?*  per  cent  of  chicks   than  any  other   breed   of  fowls.  w 

^  WRITE  ME  YOUR  WANTS  *Ij 

W  * 

J{J  R.  W.  BAKER,  j{- 

m  Los  Angeles,    Cal.  Vl^ 

%  i^ 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  85 

Samuel  Bcrger, 

VAN  WERT,  0. 

Ten  years  a  breeder 
-of- 

i  (.  B. 


My  stock  is  best  money 

can  buy  and  skill 

produce. 

Write  your    wants, 

Samuel  Berber 


^_^g?T^ESCHMAN    BROS.<r-58s*=? 

5.   C.    BLACK  MSNORCAS 


EXCLUSIVELY. 


Eggs  from  carefully  mated   pens  in  season.     A   postal   will   bring 
you  further  information. 

56  Penn  St.,    Sharpsburg,   Allegheny   Co.,  Pa. 


Why  not  try  some  of  my 

SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS 

direct  from  Northup's   best   pens.     No   pains  spared 

to  secure  the  best  and  I  shall  try  to  please  every 

customer.      Write  for  prices  or  call 

and  see  my  stock. 

WM.  H.  HUTSON,  Dallas,  Pa. 

R.  F.  D.  No.  2,  Box  J8. 


S6  MINORCAS  OF 

JEROME  STRAIN 
"BLUE   RIBBON" 

SINGLE  COMB  WHITE  MINORCAS 

G.  C  PENNINGTON,    Waverly,   Neb. 
<r^S*J>riARYLAND    POULTRY    YARDS^j^^^ 

Don't  write  me  if  you  want  the  best  Black  Minorcas  in  the  world.  But 
my  yards  are  producing  some  "Dandies."  Stock,  chicks,  and  eggs, 
at    hard    time   prices.     (12    other   varieties).     Catalogue    free. 

riEMBER   BLACK  HINORCA  CLUB. 
CHAS.  E.  H.  SHRINER,  Taneytown,  Md. 

e.  L.  CROSS, 

^Riverside,  Ills. 

Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas  (Northup  Strain).  These  birds 
took  first  and  second  prize  at  Oconomowoc,  Wis.,  and  Belvi- 
dere,   Ills.     Eggs  $2.00  per  13.     No  stock  to  offer  until  1908. 

KENDALL'S    BLACK  MINORCAS 

Rose  and    Single   Comb.     Exhibition    and    Breeding    Stock.     Eggs  $2 
per  15.     Baby  Chicks  15c  and  25c  each. 

EARL  I.  KENDALL,    HOLMESVILLE,   OHIO. 

MEMBER   AMERICAN  BLACK  MINORCA  CLUB. 


EVERY  COMB  AMI)  COLOR  87 


Poultry  Magazine, 

Monthly,  50  to  100  pages,  its  writers 
are  the  most  successful  Poultrymen 
and  women  in  the  United  States.    It  is 

The  POULTRY  TRIBUNE, 

nicely  illustrated,  brimful  each  month 
of  information  on  How  to  Care  for 
Fowls  and  Make  the  Most  Money  with 
them.  In  fact  so  good  you  can't  afford 
to  be  without  it.  Price,  50  cents  per  vear.  Send  at  once 
for  free  sample  and  SPECIAL  OFFER  TO  YOU. 

SWINE  MAGAZINE 

Monthly  24  to  64  pages,  bes  t  writers  and  i  nforma- 
tion  how  to   Make   Big   Money  With  Hogs.    It  is 

The   NATIONAL  SWINE    MAGAZINE 

Printed  on  heavy  paper,  well 
illustrated  with  Prize  Winning 
Animals ,  Houses,  Fixtur  es.&c. 
J^  50  c  ts.  per  year.  Our  Premium 
Proposition  to  Agents  on  these 
two  M  agazines  enables  y  ou  to 
get  one  or  a  pair  or  more  of 
purebred  pediereedpigs,  4  kinds,  absolutely  FREE  ora 
big  Cash  Commission  if  you  choose.  Write  me  today 
for  samples  oft  he  two  papers  and  full  particulars. 

R.  R.  FISHER.  Publisher,  Box  46,  Freeport,  III. 


CRESCENT  POUL  TR  Y  FARM, 

J.  H.  HORNAFINS,   Prop. 

Rose  and  Single  Comb  Slack  Minorcas 

a  specialty.      Eggs  and  Stock 

for  sale  in  season. 

Lane  Co.,  Elizabet'itown,  Pa. 

DUNNE'S  S.  AND  R.  C.  BLACKS 

Famous  for  Shape,  Size,  Color  and  large  White  shelled  eggs. 
Winners  at  Chicago,  Ouelph,  and  Toronto,  1906-'07. 

EGGS  IN  SEASON.     STOCK  FJE  SALE. 

H.  DUNNE,  Parkdale  Poultry  Yards,  Toronto,  Canada. 


SINGLE  COMB  BLACK    HINORCAS 

exclusively,  Northup  strain;  eggs  for  hatching   in  season   $i.oo  for  13,  #6.00  for  100. 

Breeding  stock  for  sale  at  all  times. 
HAPLE    AVENUE    POULTRY  YARDS,  GEO.  A.  BROWN,  South  Otselic,  N.  Y 


S8 


MINOR  CAS  OF 


S.  G   Black 


Mi 


morcas* 


If  you  want  good  stock,  the 


kind  that  gives  satisfac- 


tion,  write  to 


W.  F.  LINDENBERG, 


FORT  WAYNE,  HMD. 


BLACK  MINORCAS 
NORTHUP   STRAINS 

My  Minorcas  have  scored  higher  at  the  shows  in  Utah 
where  they  have  competed,  than  all  other  Minorcas. 

JOHN  W.  HA  SLAM, 

544  West  3d  North  St.,  Salt  Lake  City,  Utah. 

WM.    L__    DEIEIIVIEIR, 

TINICUM,     PA. 

BREEDER    OR   SINGLE   COMB    BLACK   MINORCAS 

EXC  LUSIVE  LY. 

Hens  in  my  breeding  pens  weigh  from  6%  to  8j^  lbs.  each  and  are  mated 
with  grand  males  direct  from  Northup.  My  Minorcas  have  long  backs, 
deep  bodies,  large  combs  and  wattles,  and  fine  green  sheen,  and  are 
great  layers  of  large  eggs. 

WRITE    ROR      PRICES      OR     EGGS     AND    ROWLS. 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR 


S9 


THE  KITTITAS  STRAIN  OF  SINGLE  AND    ROSE  COMB 

-BLACK.    MIJVG*RCA»S. 

Bred   from   the   best   blood   in    America. 

Up-to-date  in  weight,  color  and  shape.      Unexcelled  as  producers 

of  large  white  eggs.    Breeders  and  show  birds  always 

in  stock,  eggs  in  season.      Write  for  catalogue 

and  book  on  Minorcas. 

J.  C.  HWB'BBLL,  Ellenshxirg,    Wash. 


Before  you  buy  Minorcas  or  their  Eggs,  Write  for  Prices  to 

ALEXANDER   WOOD, 

326    Lexington    Ave.,    Clifton,  N.  J. 

I    Have  a  Lot   of 
"SINGLE  S  ROSE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS." 

They  are  well  bred,  good  winners  and  good  layers.  For  sale  at  any  time  cheap. 

PHILLIP  REPP,  430  Oak  St.,  Johnstown,  Pa. 

DIRKSEN'S  SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS 

are  heavy  laying.    You  miss  a  great  bargain  if  you  don't  get   stock  or  eggs  from  his 
matings,  they  will  please  you.     Write  for  particulars. 

JOHN  E.  DIRKSEN,  727  N.  Third  St.,  Springfield,  111. 

EVERY   FIRST  AND   SECOND  PRIZE   ON 

ROSE  COMB  WHITE  MINORCAS 

at  Utica  and  Frankfort  shows  last  winter  were  awarded  to 

Stock  and  eggs  for  sale.  G.  S.  PALMER,  Ilion,  N.  Y. 

SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS 

Prize  Winning    strains,  stock  and    eggs  for   Sale. 

W.  A.  BEACHELL,  Waverly,  Nebr. 


9° 


MI  NOR  CAS  OF 


IF  YOU   WANT 


HIGH  (LASS 
BLACK   MINORCAS 

just  like  this  cut,  or 
eggs  that  will  produce 
such  and  prompt  at- 
tention to  your  order, 
write 


C,  W.  GIFT, 
Waynesboro,    Pa. 


R.  F.  D.  2. 


"NORTH  UP  STRAI/N" 

BLACK  MINORCAS  A  SPECIALTY. 

HENREETTA  FARM,  Oak  Grove,  Del. 

COLE  &  CO.,  Prop's. 

AMERICA'S  CHAMPION  WHITE  MINORCAS 

Winners  at  Pan  American,  New  York,  Boston,  Chicago,  Cleveland,  and 
Canada's  leading  shows.  My  minorcas  are  noted  for  their  great  size, 
shape,  color  and  fine  combs.  Correspondence  a  pleasure.  Stock  for 
Sale.     Catalogue  free  on  application. 

J.   N.    O'NEIL,    22     Elm  Grove   aVe.,    Tororvto,    Cal\ac|a. 

MAPLEHURST  FARM, 

The  home  of  the  prize   winner  and  great  egg    producer.    S.   C.  B.    Minorcas   of 
THE  FAMOUS   KENTUCKY  BLUB  GRASS  STRAIN, 

uueciualed  for  large  size,  beauty  and  egg  production.    Exhibition  and  utility  stock  for 
sale  at  all  times.      Prices  reasonable,  satisfaction  guaranteed. 

J.  L.  GRAY,  Falmouth,  Ky 


E  VER  Y  COMB   A  ND  COL  OR  9 1 

S.  C.  BLACK  MI/NOHCAS. 

BEST  IN  THE  WORLD. 

LARGE    BIRDS.        STANDARD    WEIGHT. 

EXCELLENT  COMBS 

B.  B.  YOUNG,         =  =  Cumberland,  Md. 

*ROSE  COME  *BLACK_  MIJVOHCAS 

My  winnings   for   1907   are: 

AT  NEW  YORK -3rd  cock,  1st  cockerel,  1st  pullet. 

AT  POUGHKEEPSIE— 1st  cock,  1st  and  2nd  ckl,  1st  and  2nd  pullet,  1st  pen. 
AT  PHILMONT— 1st  cock,  1st  hen,  2nd  ckl,  1st  Pullet. 

AT  SCHENECTADY-  1st  cock,  1st  hen  :  1st,  2nd,  3rd  ckl,  1st  and  2nd  pullet. 
Eggs  for  hatching,  $5  per  13.     Stock  according  to  quality. 

T.  A.  McK.ITT'RICK.,  Hudson.  JV.  y. 

SINGLE  COMB  BLACK   MINORCAS   EXCLUSIVELY. 


EXHIBITION  AND    UTILITY  POINTS   COMBINED. 
GREAT  LAYERS  AND  LARGE  SIZE. 
STOCK  AND  EGGS  FOR  SALE. 

For  Particulars  write  to  DR.  JOS.  E.    BLANK,  Green  Lane,  Pa. 

Bales'  Rose  Comb  Black  Hinorcas 

are  the  true  type  that  win  the  prizes.  My  being  a  new  breeder  is  no 
reason  my  Minorcas  are  not  up-to-date.  In  getting  my  start  I  got 
the  best  money  could  buy,  and  have  won  prizes  wherever  shown. 
1st,  2nd,  and  3rd  cockerel,  1st,  2nd  and  3rd  pullet.  1st  pen  at  Illinois 
State  fair,  2nd  ckl.  and  2nd  pullet  at  Elgin,  111.,  1st  ckl  at  State  Poul- 
try Show  at  Macomb,  111.  1st,  2nd,  3rd,  and  4th  at  Winchester. 
Birds  always  for  sale  at  reasonable  prices,  quality  considered.  Eggs  in 
season,  also  breed  high  class  White  Plymouth  Rock  of  the  Root's  Can- 
edy,  and  Shaw  strains.  I  guaranteed  10  fertile  eggs  out  of  a  setting  of 

l5  eggs- 
TeIephone,in  residence,  No.  9.  J.  S.  BALES,  Springfield,  111. 


MINORCAS  OF 


MELROSE  POULTRY  YARDS 


HARRY  (.  MEISELBACH 


BREEDER  OF 


America's  Best  White  Minortas 


My  Birds  have  won  at  the  World's  Fair,  St.  Louis,  and  other 
leading  shows,  as  Madison  Square  (New  York),  Guelph,  Toronto  (Can- 
ada) and  Chicago,  more    prizes    than    all    other    competitors  combined. 

Stock  for  sale  always.  Eggs  '»  'he  Season, 

shipments  any  distance  in  the  World. 


SINGLE  COMB  WHITE  MINORCAS 

from  the  best  prize  winning  strains.  Stock  and  eggs  for  sale  at  all  times. 

S.  E.  CONRAD,  -  -  -  Sterling,    Ohio. 

GOOD    SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  HINORCAS 
are  bred  and  sold  by  August  Kielas, 

333  Alexandrine  St.,  Detroit,  Mich. 

SINGLE   COMB   BLACK   MINORCAS 

exclusively  (Northup's  Strain)  a  very  nice  lot  of  liens  for  sale  and  a  limited  lot  of  cocks  at 

reasonable    prices. 

JOHN    H.  BEAGHY,  Middlebury,  Ind.,  R.  F.  D.   No.   3- 

WILLIAM   SAPPER 

Breeder   of 

S.C.WHITE  MINORCAS.  WINNukS  AT  AMERICA'S  LEADING  SHOWS 

BOX   B,  EB1E.  PfcNN'A. 

THOMPSON'S    MINORCAS 

ROSE  AND  SINGLE  COMB 

Have   been  bred  and  exhibited  at  leading  shows  by  me  the  past 
fourteen  years.     They  are  grand  in  size  and  color. 

CHAS.  A.  THOMPSON,  Melrose,  Conn. 
Spring  Brook  Farm. 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


93 


KLEE   BROS. 

8.  C.  B.  MINORCA S 

Win  at  America's  Crystal  Palace  Show 

fladison  Square  Garden,  1907, 

20  Regular  and  Special  Prizes,  including  5  Silver  Cups, 
for  best  collection.  Our  Minorcas  were  considered 
by  the  best  Minorca  experts,  the  finest  collection  at 
the  Garden.  They  won  with  Green  Goods.  Do  not 
fail  to  write  us  for  your  wants.  Satisfaction  guaranteed. 
Eggs  in  season. 


BLAUVELT    POULTRY    YARDS, 


Blauvelt,    N.  Y. 


The  writer  has    been    a  poultry  fancier   since   a   boy.      Have   bred 
a  number  of  different  strains  of  fowl.     The 

R.  C    B.  MINORCAS    HAVE  MY   PREFERENCE 
FOR  ALL  PURPOSES  TO  ALL    OTHERS. 

In  1906  I  made  my  first  appearance  at  the  Show  Rooms 
in  Boston.  The  writer  was  awarded  his  share  in  prizes. 
I  sold^George  H.  Northup  at  that  time  four  pullets  for 
one^hundred  and  twenty  dollars,  ($120.00),  which'came 
from  a  sitting  of  eggs  in  1905  that  I  paid  him  $10.00. 
The  Minorcas  are  now  sitters,  lay  a  large  white  egg  and 
more  of  them  than  any  other  fowl.  THE  FLESH  IS 
JUICY    AND     GOOD     FLAVOR,     weight    excellent. 

Eggs  for  sitting' in  1 908,  3,  5,  10  dollars  per  13. 

Stock  for  sale  at  reasonable  prices.      Satisfaction   guaranteed 

C  H.  LEE,  Hyde  Park,  Mass. 


94  MINORCAS  OF 

SUCCESSFUL  POULTRY   JOURNAL 

Will    Tell    You    How   to    Succeed 

A  year's  subscription  to  SUCCESSFUL  POULTRY  JOURNAL  is  a  year's 
course  of  instruction  in  poultry  culture  from  the  foremost  experts  and  practical  suc- 
cessful breeders  in  all  parts  of  America.  We  spend  large  sums  in  getting  special 
articles  upon  all  branches  of  poultry  raising  and  pictures  of  poultry  plants,  houses, 
yards,  fowls,  etc.,  and  full  page  color  plates  of  fowls,  all  of  which  will  be  interesting 
and  helpful  to  you. 

SUCCESSFUL  POULTRY  JOURNAL  will  save  you  money  and  teach  you 
how  to  make  the  most  money  and  get  the  mos'  pleasure  from  your  fowls.  You 
need  it  whether  you  have  few  or  many  fowls  or  whether  you  are  an  amateur  or  an 
expert.  It  is  the  handsomest  poultry  journal  published  and  it  is  absolutely  impossi- 
ble to  get  more  reliable  or  more  interesting  reading  matter  and  pictures  than  are 
found  in  its  columns. 

We  cannot  tell  yon  in  this  small  space,  how  valuable  and  interesting  the  SUC- 
CESSFUL POULTRY  JOURNAL  is,  but  will  say  that,  if  at  the  end  of  the  year 
you  will  write  us  and  say  that  it  is  not  worth  the  price  to  anyone  interested  in  poul- 
try, we  will  cheerfully  refund  your  money.  We  would  not  make  this  offer  did  we 
not  know  absolutely  that  you  would  be  pleased  and  delighted  with  the  Journal. 
Breeders  everywhere  recommend  it. 

S«>n<l  so  cents  in  coin  or  sr-mps  to  SUCCESSFUL  POULTRY  JOURNAL  PUB.  CO., 
Frank  Heck,  Editor,  355  D  arborn  St.,  Chicago,  111. 

An  ad  in  it  will  sell  your  surplus  stock  and  eggs.  Write  for  rates.  Mr. 
Northup  and  other  prominent  breeders  advertise  in  it. 


MISHLER'S  ROSE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS 

PURE  NORTHUP  STRAIN 

have  proved  that  they  can  win  the  best  prizes  at  the  largest  shows  and 
in  the  strongest  of  competition.  Trapnests  used,  and  special  attention 
paid  to  egg  production.  Every  chick  is  pedigreed.  Send  for  my  circular 
which  tells  the  "whole  story"  and  you  will  want  some  of  the  blood  of 
Togo,  the  $200  cock,  in  your  birds.  Let  me  know  your  wants  before  buy- 
ing elsewhere.  Raising  Minorcas  is  a  business,  not  a  side  line,  with  me. 
LLOYD  C.  MISHLER,  Box  30,  North  Manchester,   Ind. 

^^SPRING  BROOK  POULTRY  FARM-^- 

H.  H.  SCOTT,  Culpeper,  Va.,  Proprietor, 

Breeder   of  NORTHUP'S  STRAIN  BLACK  MINORCAS 
WHITMAN'S    STRAIN  BROWN  LEGHORNS 
and  the        BEST  SILVER  LACED  WYANDOTTES 

Have  been  breeding  Black  Minorcas  for  six  years,  always  with  the  best  type 
in  view.  I  have  stock  and  eggs  in  season  at  very  moderate  prices  considering  the 
quality  of  stock  I  have  to  sell.    Write  me  for  full  particulars. 

MEMBER  OF  MINOECA  CLUB. 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


95 


THAT  WHICH  HALF 
COMPLETES,  FAILS! 

Fight  shy  of  failures  and  use  the  old.  re- 
liable, standard  remedies  which  have  the 
endorsement  of  the  leading  poultrymen 
of  the  world. 

CONKEY'S    ROUP    CURE 

conquers  this  most  fatal  disease  of  the 
poultry  yard  and  restores  the  useless  fowls 
to  health  and  profit. 
Roup  begins  with  a  cold,  followed  by  sneezing,  wheezing,  discharge  from  nos- 
trils and  eyes,  which  thickens  and  gives  forth  an  offensive  odor.  CONKEY'S 
ROUP  CURE  is  guaranteed  to  satisfy  you,  or  your  money  will  be  refunded  with- 
out question.  Jusr  a  thimbleful  according  to  directions,  and  trre  feverish  fowls 
eagerly  take  their  own  medicine  aid  cure  themselves.  Prices  50c  and  #1.00,  postpaid. 

CONKEY'S  CELEBRATED  BOOK  ON  POULTRY   FREE, 

An  illustrated  book  of  48  pages,  full  of  useful  information  to  the  poultry  raiser.  Housing,  Breed- 
ing. Feeding,  Mating,  and  poultry  care  generally.  The  price  is  2;c,  but  YOU  CAN  HAVE  A  COPY 
FREE  for  4c.  in  stamps  and  names  of  two  others  interested.     SEND  TODAY. 

CONKEY'S  STANDARD  REMEDIES 

are  used  the  world  over  and  they  are  guaranteed  to  the  limit.     If  they  don't  please   you,  you   get  your 
money  bade.  THE  G.   E.  CONKEY   COMPANY    CLEVELAND,  OHIO,  U.  S.  A. 


PHILLIPS'  S.  C.  B,  MIJNTORCAS 

a   specialty   for  sixteen    years,    foundation    Northup    Strain.     Special  attention    to 
utility  as  well  as  fancy  points. 

THOMAS    H.     PHILLIPS,  Hover,  n.  j. 

ROSE  AND  SINGLE  COflB  BLACK  MINORCAS 

Northup's    direct.     Winners    at  all    the    National    Shows.     Stock    and    eggs     for 

sale  at  all  times. 

CHAS.  DERR  &  CO  .  Box   H,   Litchfield,  Mich. 

DOERMANN'S    BLACK   MINORCAS,   SINGLE  AND    ROSE     COMB. 

15  prizes  on  19  entries.  Blue  Island  Show  1907.     74  Minorcas  exhibited. 
Stock  and  eggs  in  season. 

A.  W.  T.  DOERMANN,  Blue  Island,  HI. 
THEO,  W.  KOOP,  New  Bremen,  O. 

Breeds  Rose   and  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas    exclusively,    stock  guaranteed  as 
represented.     Write  for  circular.  Eggs  in  season.     Member  A.  B.  Minorca  Club. 


SINGLE    COMB    BLACK   MINORCAS 

NORTHUP  STRAIN 

Blue  Ribbon  "Winners.  Both  at  the  shiw  and  Egg  Basket.  Eggs  in  season.  Stock  at  all  times 
C.  A.  SPICKERMAN,  723  E.  Kiowa  St.,  Colorado  Springs,  Colo. 


96 


MINORCAS  OF 


m 


8 


m 


#1 


1 


IZ3j&&Zfj&Efe7Z?&I£&If& 


INDUSTRIOUS 
HEN 


i 
i 


i 


Minorca   Breeders  Should 
"Read  Every  Copy  of 

The  Industrious  Hen 

Articles  on  this  breed  for  the  past  year,  many  of  which 
have  been  worth  ten  times  the  cost  of  the  magazine,  have  been 
read  by  hundreds  of  thousands  of  people. 

THE  INDUSTRIOUS  HEN  reaches  a  large  number  of 
Minorca  as  well  as  other  breeders.  Send  50c  for  one  year  or 
$1  for  three  years.     Advertising  rates  on  application. 

THE  INDUSTRIOUS  HEN  CO., 


1 
1 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  97 

OUR    POPULAR   TRIO. 

POULTRY    SUCCESS 

The  World's  Favorite  and   Leading  Poultry  Journal. 

An  up-to  date,  helpful  and  exclusive  poultry  magazine,  beautifully 
illustrated  ;  best  writers  ;  always  interesting.  ^Tells  just  what  you  want 
to  know.      50  cents  per  year. 

FARM  STOCK  SUCCESS 

The  Farmer's  and  Stock  Breeder's  Friend 

Devoted  to  pure  bred  farm  stock,  including  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  swine, 
a"d  poultry.     50  cents  per  year. 

PET    STOCK     MAGAZINE 

The  Only  Exclusive  Pet  Stock  Jlagazine  Published 

Is    very   popular     among  fanciers    and     breeders    of    all  kinds    of    fur     • 
and  feathered  pet  stock.     50  cents  per  year. 

Advertise  in  our   publications  and  reach  the  best  people    in    your  line. 
Rates  are  reasonable.     Write  for  them. 

A.     D.     HOSTERMAN,    Publisher,  Springfield,  O. 


BRITTON'S 

SINGLE  AND  ROSE  COMB 


BLACK    MINORCAS 


Equal  lo   the   Best.  Prices   Reasonable.  Satisfaction   Guaranteed. 

THE  GLEYN  MINORCA  YARDS,  34  North  Jackson  Street,  Elgin, 


SINGLE  COMB  BLACK  MINORCAS  EXCLUSIVELY 

My  strain  of  Minorcas  have  been  line  bred  for  10  years.  If  you  want 
size,  quality  and  a  "Square  Deal,"  write  me  your  wants.  Baby  chicks 
a    speciaHy.     Catalogue    of    matings    free. 

T.  M.  HARKNESS,  Box  7,  Ashland,  Ohio 
Ohio  Vice  President  of  the  American  Black  Minorca  Club, 


98 


MINOR  CAS  OF 


"BEJVTS   MILK.    ^/IL'BVMEF 

is  the 

CRBATEST  AJVIMAL,  FOOT*  KJVOWJV 

It  has   4-3.3    per    cent    Albuminoid  "Protein, 

and  is  endorsed  by  the  A°\  Ex  Stations  and  leading  poultrvmen  everywhere.  It  is 
economical  and  healthful,  promotes  rapid  growth  in  young  stock,  hastens  the  moult  and  is 
uuequaled  as  an  eggmaker.  Keeps  pure,  s  <eet  and  wholesome.  Mr.  Bent  is  the  inventor 
of  dry  milk  food  for  fowls.  G-et  the  original.  Price  $2.50  per  100,  20iMbs.  $4.50,  freight 
prepaid  east  Mississippi  River  on  trial  order.  sample  and  Colder  free.  Manufactured 
onlyby  THE  BENT-CROISSANT  CO.,  Antwerp,  N.  Y. 


25  years 


Think  r-f_it!  Our  "Silver  Ju 
bilee!"  vv'nv  take  chanees?i_ 
Buy  a  iteliable  and  be  sure.  |j 
Beautifal  Silver  Jubilee  Cata-fj 
logfree.  Write  today.  Reliableo 
Inouoator  &  Brooder  Co.,  Bos 


Guincy,  III. 


The  Release's  25th  Birthday 


This  is  our  Silver  Jubilee 
year.  For  25  years  Reliable 
Incubators  have  represent- 
ed the  latest  and  best  in 
incubator  buildiDg,  have 
stood  the  test  of  practical 
use  and  sre  farther  in  the 
lead  this  year  thai.  ever. 
"Silver  Jubilee"  catalog  free. 
Reliable  Incubator  * 
Brooder  Co..  Box 


Quincy,  111. 


RIVERSIDE  MINORCA  FARM, 

EDW     S.    LAMBRITE.  Prop. 

The  home  of  America's  |S.  C.  BLACK  MINORCAS 

Finest  Strains  of         \      AND    RHODE    ISLAND  REDS 

exclusively 
Circular  with  full  particulars  for  the  asking.  Erwinna.  Bucks  Co  ,  Pa. 


W.  W.  JENKINS, 

BREEDER     OF" 

single:  comb  black  minorcas. 

NORTHUF>     STRAIN 
EGGS    AND     POULTRY     F^O  R    SALE    IN    SEASON.  BENTONVILLE,     ARK- 


SINGLE   COMB   BLACK   MINORCAS. 

Northup  strain  exclusively.    Prize  winning  stock.    Eggs  in  season.    Also  breeder  of  White 

Wyandotte  Stock  and  Eggs  for  sale. 

p.  (i.   BEBRENDf,  Route  No  1,  Box  68,  Waupaca.  Wis. 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR 


99 


THE   ELEANORE    HINORCA  YARDS,     LOS     ANGELES,    CAL. 
M.  E.  BROWN,  Prop.     Box  ioo,  R.  R.    No.  i. 

I  have  Geo.  H.  Notthup's  strain    of  Rose  Comb    Black    Minorcas.     Eggs  from  Jan- 
uary to  July  $3.00  per  15  or  $5.00  per  30.     Stock   for  sale  at  all    times. 


Finest   Strains  f  s.  C.   B.  \  Stock  and  Eggs  In  Season 

W  ALT S    \  I: cc  w:  \  MINORCAS 

WE  HADDOCK  Prop.  I  R.  C.  W.  )   190  Richmond  st.,  B'klyn,  N.  Y. 


SINGLE  COHB  BLACK  MINORCAS  EXCLUSIVELY 

For  eggs  in  stock  Write 


F.  VAUGHAN,  Lambton  Hills,  Ont. 


SINGLE  COM'B  SLACK.  MIJWO-RC AS 

Exclusively.   Good    stock    and    eggs    for    sale  ;  quality  guaranteed.     Circular    free. 
GEOUGE  L.  AL'BEJV, 

102  So.  Main  St..   Adrian,  Mich. 


i  ,'ss  i-is 


^ 


AUTHOR'S  CORRECTIONS. 


Cut  of  Headlight  III  which  appears  on  page  31  should  have 
been  credited  to  "Poultry,"  an  English  Journal  published  in  Lon- 
don, and  the  Ideal  cock  and  the  Ideal  hen  to  the  American 
Black  Minorca  Club.  The  omissions  were  unintentional  and  were 
not  noticed  until  after  the  reading  pages  and  illustrations  were  all 
printed. 


\!&  < 


ioo  MINORCAS  OF 

BREEDERS'  DIRECTORY. 

Breeders  of  Single  Comb  Black  Minorcas. 

J.  Norman  Bowen,  R.  F.  D.  3,  Manchester,  Va. 

C.  E.  Buttles,  Wenachee,  Wash. 

C.  R.  Cuthbert,  Meadowville,  Ont..  (also  Rhode  Island  Reds.) 

Alwin  F.  Goehle,  133  Baitz  Ave.,  Buffalo. 

Frederick  S.  Lane,  Foxboro,  Mass. 

Stephen  O.  Kent,  Box  93,  Rowley,  Mass. 

Mrs.  S.  D.  Long,  78  Waterman  St.,  Coldwater,  Mich. 

J.  I.  McLaughlin,  Box  480,  Oshawa,  Ont.,  Canada. 

Edward  Orgill,  Riverton,  Utah. 

Mrs.  W.  S.  Porter,  Petersburg,  Tenn. 

John  Robinson,  6353  Greene  St.,  Gtn..  Philadelphia,  Pa.,  (also  Japanese 
Long-tail  Phoenix  Fowls.) 

Henry  Schumann,  2720  West  Main  St.,  Louisville,  Ky., 

L.  R.  Schubert,  South  San  Francisco,  Cal. 

E.  W.  Scofield,  Morenci,   Mich. 

J.  Flem  Smith,  Ponca  City,  O.  T. 

J.  Wallace  Snelling,  R.  F.  D.  No.  1,   Manchester,  Va. 

C.  G.  Stevens,  123  J.  Hail  Road,  Manchester,  N.  H. 

W.  Weidenmann,   64  Chestnut  St.,  Brooklyn.  N.  Y. 

Breeders  of    Rose  Comb  Black  Minorcas. 

George  H.  Gigee,  Friendship,  N.  Y. 

Jno.  D.  Prideaux,  117  Pipestone  St.,  Benton  Harbor,  Mich. 

Adelaide  H.  Toomer,  Ivy  Place,  Springfield,  Mo. 

A.  E.  Wilson,  Guilderland,  N.  Y. 


EVERY  COMB   AND  COLOR 


m 

n 


Northup's  Minorcas 

Are  Known  the  World   Over 
To  Stand  at  the  Head  — — . 

They  cackle  and  crow  in  the  yards  of  our  customers  who 
are  leading  fanciers  throughout  the  United  States,  New 
Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia,  Quebec,  Ontario,  Prince  Edwards 
Island,  Manitoba,  Alberta,  British  Columbia,  Vancouvers 
Island,  Mexico,  Republic  of  Columbia,  Brazil,  Bermuda, 
Denmark,  South  Africa,  Australia,  New  Zealand,  Germany, 
Trinidad  Island,  Cuba,  Jamaica,  Puerto  Rico,  Java  and 
Japan,  and  are  giving  the  best  of  satisfaction  everywhere 
as    egg   producers    and    prize    winners. 

NORTHUP'S  MINORCA  TARN 


s 
I 


K&j  is   devoted  exclusively  to  UM 

j|  Single  and  Rose  Comb  Minorcas  jl 


I 

1 
f 
1 


and  is  one  of  the  largest  poultry  establishments  in  the  world. 
More  than  fifteen  acres  of  land  is  divided  into  runs  for  the 
breeding  stock.  The  buildings  contain  18820  square  feet 
of  floor  space  beside  twenty-five  colony  houses. 

We  make  a  specialty  of  breeding  show  birds  for  sale  and 
selling  eggs  from  which  such  can  be  hatched.  Our  large  cata- 
logue contains  pictures  and  descriptions  of  our  buildings  and 
birds  and  much  information  about  Minorcas  which  cannot  be  TVS 
obtained  elsewhere.  The  catalogue  is  free  but  is  worth  much 
more  than  the  stamps  required  to  send  it.     Write  your  wants  to 


RACEVILLE,  WPfSH.  CO.,    N.  Y. 


1 
1 

ft 

1 


IMPORTANT 


Send 


102  MINOR  CAS  OF 

Recipe  for  Northup's  Egg=Food. 

This  food  has  been  on  the  market  for  twenty  years  and  has 
given  general  satisfaction  to  those  who  have  used  it  throughout 
the  United  States  and  Canada.  The  same  people  have  bought  it 
year  after  year  because  it  has  proven  to  be  the  most  profitable 
egg-producing  food  they  have  found,  by  keeping  their  hens 
laying  all  whiter  when  eggs  were  high,  and  when  this  food  has 
been  given  breeding  fowls,  their  eggs  have  shown  better  fertility 
and  chicks  hatched  from  them  have  been  more  hardy. 

IT  HAS  KEPT  YOUNG  CHICKS  FREE  FROM  GAPS 
AND  CHOLERA  AND  CURED  MANY  CASES  OF  BOTH. 
It  is  one  of  the  best  preventives  of  catarrh  and  roup  known  because 
by  keeping  fowls  in  a  healthy  condition  it  enables  them  to  resist 
diseases.      It  hastens  the  growth  of  feathers  during  moult. 

MANY  OF  OUR  BEST  FANCIERS  FEED  IT  TO 
FOWLS  WHEN  FITTING  THEM  FOR  SHOW  because  it  pro- 
duces a  fine  gloss  in  plumage  and  imparts  the  bright  color  to 
comb,  wattles  and  faces  which  indicates  vigorous  health  and 
helps  many  birds  to  score  several  points  higher  than  they  would 
do  without  such  a  tonic. 

This  food  has  found  ready  sale  at  25c  per  lb  or  $1.00  for 
5  lbs.  to  people  in  all  parts  of  the  United  States  and  Canada 
who  have  had  it  sent  to  them  by  express  or  freight  thus  entailing 
additional  expense  for  transportation,  and  many  poultrymen  have 
bought  it  in  100  lb.  lots  year  after  year. 

My  business  in  Black  Minorca  fowls  has  so  greatly  increased 
that  all  of  my  time  is  required  for  the  part  of  that  business  which  I 
do  personally,  and  to  relieve  myself  of  the  work  of  superintending 
the  manufacture,  sale,  and  shipment  of  egg-food,  I  have  decided 
to  discontinue  making  the  food  for  sale,  and  by  selling  the  recipe 
for  making  it  will  give  others  an  opportunity  to  obtain  it  at  much 
less  expense.  I  am  well  aware  that  by  so  doing  I  sacrifice  a 
large  profit  which  I  have  derived  from  sale  of  the  food,  but  having 
all  I  can  do  without  it  I  consider  this  plan  advantageous  to  my- 
self as  well  as  to  my  customers. 

THE  EGG-FOOD  CAN  BE  MADE  FOR  jc  OR  8c  PER 
LB.  IN  100  LB.  LOTS  according  to  the  local  price  for  ingre- 
dients. Anyone  who  desires  can  do  a  good  and  profitable  busi- 
ness in  making  and  selling  it  in  their  own  town   because   it   is   an 


EVERY  COMB  AND  COLOR  103 

old  established  food,  and  the  results  of  its  use  will  create  addi- 
tional demand  for  it  in  any  locality  where  poultry  is  kept  in  large 
or  small  flocks. 

IN  SELLING  THIS  RECIPE  I  GIVE  THE  BUYER  PER- 
MISSION TO  MAKE  AND  SELL  THE  FOOD,  but  all  are 
restricted  from  copying  the  recipe  to  give  away  or  sell  as  the 
recipe  is  copyrighted. 

I  am  giving  on  the  following  pages  a  few  of  the  many  testi- 
monials I  have,  to  show  what  results  the  food  has  produced  for 
those  who  Ijave  bought  it  from  me. 

Recipe  with  full  directions  for  making  and  use  $1.00. 

Only  two  tablespoonfuls  of  egg-food  is  required  for  every 
quart  of  grain  food. 


TESTIMONIALS. 
INCREASES  EGG  YIELD, 

Geo.  H.  Northup,  Dear  Sir: — You  ask  me  for  my  experience  in 
the  use  of  your  Egg  Food.  I  can  give  you  an  accurate  statement,  as 
I  keep  a  daily  account  with  my  hens.  From  this  account  I  quote  a 
few  'terns,  as  follows: 

March  10,  commenced  to  use  Northup's  Egg  Food. 

Week  ending  March  16,  received 10  eggs. 

"23,  "         50     » 

"       3°>  "        75    " 

April      6,  "         86    " 

"       13.  "        9°    " 

April  13,  stopped  using  Egg  Food,  and  supply  of  eggs  steadily  de- 
creased until  the  week  ending  July  28,  received  17  eggs.  July  28,  re- 
commenced using  N.'s  Egg  Food.  Week  ending  August  3,  received 
47  eggs.  Acc't  goes  on  to  show  steady  increase  of  eggs  as  long  as 
Egg  Food  was  used,  and  a  decrease  as  soon  as  I  stopped  feeding  it. 
When  in  March  I  first  commenced  using  Egg  Food,  my  hens  were 
sickly  and  in  poor  condition,  and  I  had  received  only  five  eggs  during 
the  three  months  previous. 

Yours  truly,  EDWIN  STARKS. 

Tamaqua,  Pa. 
Mr.  Geo.  H.  Northup,  Dear  Sir: — Yours  just  received.  Yes,  I  had 
50  lbs.  of  your  Egg  Food  last  winter  and  found  it  to  be  an  excellent 
article.  I  gave  some  of  it  to  some  friends  of  mine,  and  one  of  them 
has  told  me  that  it  is  the  best  egg  food  he  ever  used  and  improved  the 
lay  of  his  hens  one  half  more  in  one  month.  I  have  been  recommend- 
ing it  to  my  friends.  You  may  use  mv  name  in  your  circular  if  you 
wish  to.  Very  respectfully,  F.  SOWERS, 


<^> 


104  MINOR  CAS  OF 

Saratoga,  Cal. 
About  the  Egg  Food.  I  was  very  much  pleased  with  it,  and  wish 
I  could  procure  more.  Have  you  an  agent  on  this  coast  ?  The  ex- 
pressage  is  so  high  that  lean  hardly  afford  to  send  so  far,  but  if  you 
do  have  an  agent  on  this  coast  please  let  me  know.  Besides  its  great 
egg-producing  qualities  it  is  excellent  to  keep  the  hens  healthy. 

Yours,  GEO.  H.  FOSTER. 

Reading,  Pa. 
Mr.  Geo.  H.  Northup,  Dear  Sir: — In  reply  to  your  letter,  at  hand, 
will  say  that  I  cannot  speak  too  highly  of  your  Egg  Food,  both  in  pro- 
ducing eggs  and  keeping  fowls  in  good  condition.  When  I  commenced 
feeding  it,  the  first  Saturday  after  the  Reading  show,  not  one  of  my 
pullets  was  laying.  Since  then  I  am  feeding  your  food  and  am  get- 
ting 8  or  9  eggs  a  day  from  15  hens  and  pullets.  Although' my  birds 
are  too  fat.  weigh  from  ~]}<2  to  9^  lbs.,  not  exercjse  enough.  I  can- 
not recommend  your  "Egg  Food"  too  highly  to  all  that  have  fowls. 
I  need  more  soon. 
©  Yours,  etc.,  M.  B.  SNYDER. 

rjj  Algonquin,  111. 

[^  Mr.  Geo.    H.    Northup,  Dear    Sir  : — I    received    the    Egg    Food    in 

<J         good  shape.     I  thank  you  very  much   for   putting  in   the  extra  pound. 

Q.,         Now  I  have  fed  it  for  over  three  weeks  to  five  hens  and  one  cock.     I 

fed  them  corn  and  oatmeal  mixed  with  bran,  in  boiling  milk,  and    only 

pj         put  in  one  tablespoonful  of  the  Egg  Food  to  each  quart  of  meal,  and 

C/3         fed  cam  and  oats  mixed  at  night  and  from  those  five  hens  I  can    show 

100  eggs  in  22  days.     I  have  not  hatched  any  of   them  yet    so    cannot 

tell  how  fertile  they  are,  but  I  know  to   produce  eggs   that  "Northup's 

Egg  Food"  can't  be  beat.     Now  you  can  see  from    my   hens   that  it  is 

good,  for  it  must  have  been  the  "Egg  Food"  which  made  them  lay,  for 

I  had  fed  them  the  verv  same  feed  before  I  got  the  Egg  Food  and  they 

0h         did  not  lay  at  all,  but  by  just  adding  a  little  of  your  Egg   Food   to  the 

O         feed  it  made  the  eggs  come.     You  asked    me  to  be   your   agent,  but  I 

^         was  then  undecided  what  to  do,  but  now  I  am  so  well  pleased  with  it, 

[t]         you  can  send  me  100  lbs.,  for  I  am  sure  1  can  sell  it. 

PL,  ROBBIE  E.  HAGER. 

1— 1 

y  Hampton,  N.  Y. 

«/  Geo.  H.  Northup,  Dear  Sir  : — I  bought  a  two  lb.   package  of  your 

Egg  Food,  and  commenced  feeding  it  to  my  hens.  We  had  not  got 
an  egg  from  them  in  a  long  time,  but  they  commenced  to  lay  soon 
after  I  commenced  feeding  it,  and  continued  to  lay  well  until  the  food 
was  gone,  then  they  stopped  and  did  not  lay  any  more  until  I  got 
another  package,  some  four  weeks  after,  then  they  commenced  laying 
again  as  soon  as  I  commenced  to  feed  it  and  laid  wonderfully  well  as 
long  as  I  fed  it  to  them,  and  the  eggs  decreased  as  soon  as  I  stopped 
feeding  It.     I  consider  it  a  valuable  egg  producer.         Yours  truly, 

GEO.  W.  WARD. 

Truthville,  N.  Y. 
Geo.  H.  Northup,  Raceville,  N.  Y. 

Dear  Sir  :  I  have  used  your  "Eggfood"  during  the  past  winter 
with  very  satisfactory  results.  There  was  a  marked  increase  in  eggs 
as  soon  as  I  commenced  using  it,  and  a  falling  off  when  I  discontinued 
it.  I  consider  it  a  very  profitable  food,  and  shall  use  a  larger  quan- 
tity next  winter.  Yours  truly,  FAY.  WILBUR. 


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